Picture this.... It's Valentine's Day. Me and my boyfriend were looking to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and came across a spot which we believed had amazing reviews. All dressed up and excited to go- This was a big night for us "wink wink". Within 5 minutes, disaster occurred. The waiter spilt a thick espresso martini down my bfs back. He was soaked head to toe staring at the waiter for an apology... nothing. While I ate our shoestring, "McDonald's" fries, he spent most of the night in the bathroom attempting to dry off his clothes. After all was said it done, we payed for our spilt drink, nasty food, and continued on with our night (without an apology). This will be a Valentine's Day we both forget. Thanks Vera! Somerville- Go somewhere else! read more

Had a great time here! Ordered and LOVED the Almafi coast. Was so yummy and had a really nice texture. Service was really good They have drag bingo on Wednesday nights and it looked like a great time. read more

Shrimp scampi was fire. Drinks were also fire. Eggs was an amazing bartender and Amanda was an amazing bingo host. First time at Veras and I 100% plan to return & recommend to my friends. Great vibes all around! read more

Food, service, atmosphere, music, cocktails all amazing!! Highly recommend anyone to come here for a date night, or just a fun night with friends. read more

Food here is always phenomenal... but the service is what makes it stand out. 10/10 always

I love this place for the bar/dance vibes. I go at least twice a month, usually on Saturday nights. The crowd is fairly diverse and the music is almost always on point, especially for Slamfunk (1st Saturdays of every month). Added bonus, the bartenders are excellent - attentive, fast, efficient and friendly. Even the door guys are chill too. Check it out and if you see a crew with a guy with a gray Afro or a big dude wearing a cat tank top, go say hi! read more

Great spot in union square to pop in for a quick drink! Loved the ambience of this place being downstairs and our bartender was so sweet! I will be back to try their cocktail hour in the future! read more

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All around a great place to eat, drink, and chill! They have a lot of fun and delicious drinks and though the menu is small, the food tastes pretty good. I got the Broccolini Fusilli which I thought was super yummy. The atmosphere is nice and the staff are super friendly. Definitely will be going again. read more

Vera’s - a plate of pasta and asparagus - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Now known as Vera's, this place had a nice vibe and kind staff. Definitely wouldn't mind coming back! Came here on in the early evening and were seated quickly inside. I found the ambiance really pleasant and our server came really quickly to check on us and give us water - super friendly too! The drinks and food came out fast - everything tasted good and was really pleasant to eat. I loved the mozzarella sticks and wouldn't hesitate to come back for more - they also had this special of fried polenta sticks I'd love to try! Their menu was honestly kind of small and there's not much variety so we didn't stick around for an actual entree, but if I'm ever in the mood for pasta, I'll definitely come by to try one of their dishes! read more

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Used to love this place but was asked not to return. Don't know if it's my scars or not but I was very disappointed. All I did was get outdoor seating for one place my order and say thank you when my drink came, when my food came and when my water was refilled . But was told I made female employees uncomfortable. I barely looked up from my food and drink. Fuck this place. read more

A really cool bar with a great atmosphere and pretty cheap cocktails, what more could you want? There was a DJ playing, a disco ball, and couches to hang out on. Our cocktails were great, especially the Rings of Saturn. We even tried out the mystery shot of the night which was a fun touch. Great neighborhood spot, we'll definitely be back! read more

Vera’s - Dr Everything'll Be Alright and Pink Squirrel - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Honestly... this is not a place for people of color. The DJs have zero clue what they're doing, insist on no requests, and then unironically play A Thousand Miles on a Friday night (I love the song, but really? lmao). If you want to dance to a weird, horribly mixed set of music (i.e. going from Reba to obscure reggae to demonstrate how "cultured" they are), Vera's is your spot, sadly. Tiktok DJs or a college kid with an aux cord could do a better job. As a queer person of color I have to say, it's really weird when your white DJ, dressed as a mock rapper, tries to argue that they're more oppressed than you on the mic. Another sad reminder that the greater Boston nightlife scene is not it. read more

We went to Vera's for the Comedy Studio but arrived early for drinks and some food. The specialty cocktails were great. I definitely liked the Take Five and may have allegedly had a few of those. The focus is on great cocktails, but they do have some surprisingly good simple food on the menu as well. The Vera's Patty Melt was a really tasty burger with american cheese, special sauce on sourdough bread. There is something that takes me back to my childhood of having a patty melt sandwich -- it was really good. My spouse got the Chicken Parm Sandwich and he was equally impressed with it. If you want fries with your sandwich you can add those on as a side. The comedy show was great fun as well. Of course, there are some newer comedians trying out their material but some really funny comedians and material as well. Overall, a fun night out and someplace that I would definitely go back to with a group of friends. read more

Vera’s - The Comedy Studio at Vera's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

First time at Vera's. I went to dinner with 4 friends before going to a show at Union Tavern. Great location, love the vibe of the restaurant! Fun cocktail menu. Our waitress was friendly and overall the service was great. The menu was limited and the food was below-average. Broccolini Fusilli - 3/5 stars. Chicken Parm Sandwich - 3/5. charred chicken, not enough cheese Impossible Melt - 3/5. too many onions, too much cheese Caesar Salad with Anchovies - 1/5. Soggy croutons, old anchovies Brownie sundae - 1/5. Brownie wasn't hot, seemed old/dry. Ice cream had freezer burn on it. Caramel sauce was yummy!! read more

Vera’s - Broccolini Fusilli - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

The lamb burger is the best!!!!! The food is here is way better than the independent and they have games! Shuffleboard is my fave. I ordered the mussels the last time I was here and they were pretty good. All clean and big! The sauce tasted kind of like green thai curry even though it was poblano pepper and coconut milk. Service was quick and easy. Great place to come drink or eat in union. read more

Vera’s - Mussels in poblano coconut sauce - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

My friend and I stopped in to check the place out for an upcoming event. The staff was extremely nice and accommodating with information! The environment was gorgeous. Dim lighting and cozy leather booths in the dining hall were an amazing decor staple. On our way out we noticed the $5 drink of the month sign and decided to go back in for one. Drink of the month of October was a Daquari... very tasty and STRONG! The bartender was also really cool and full of info and conversation. We diWe'll definitely come back! Update (11/20/18): We had our event here and it was amazing! All of our guests commented on how nice the lounge was. The staff was great! The drinks and food people ordered was really good. So Brass Union has won us over for future drinks and a fun night vibes. read more

Came here for brunch on the 4th of July. Probably a bad call, even though it was not busy. After she took my order, I didn't see my waitress for 30 minutes. Since I was still waiting for my food, pancakes and eggs, I had to the hostess what the status was. I explained I have a disability and can't sit for much longer. She said she would have the manager check on it. I went for a walk around the farmers market and in 10 minutes the food was out. This was great, because I was about to just leave. My order was missing an egg wrong, but since the waitress was MIA still I told the hostess so she could change the bill but not to bother fixing it. The food itself was just okay. When I finally saw my waitress again she didn't apologize for the wait but she told me my food was comped. I was happy to hear that but I doubt I'm going to return. I will say that the hostess went above and beyond after I complained, so that was nice. I'm guessing this was an understaffing problem because if was a holiday but I feel like I should have been warned ahead of ordering. read more

Vera’s - Outdoor seating amidst the farmers market (Saturdays) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I love Brass Union! Set your expectations accordingly that their dinner menu is small (better for late night snacks than dinner, in my opinion), but the food is yummy and the cocktails are A+. The B's Knees cocktail is my go-to here - gin, honey, lemon, spiced pear, basil, & cucumber, yummmmmmm. Most of the cocktails here rock 5+ ingredients (including some funky/interesting combinations!), so if you enjoy sampling your way through a cocktail menu at the hands of bartenders who know what they're doing, this is your place. Food-wise, the honey hot drumsticks were very good (but at only 3 to an order, consider it more of a snack than a full-sized appetizer), and the sliders & fries were worthwhile too. It seems they change their menu up a few times each year, so I suggest not having your heart set on anything too specific, and instead sample 2-3 small dishes as a compliment to whatever cocktail(s) you're enjoying. The vibe in here is great (yes, it's technically a basement, but it's a cool basement!) - I consider it about halfway between being a lounge and a bar on most evenings, which means you can probably hear yourself talk (yay!), but it also still feels like you're going "out" (and the vibe does become more bar-like as the night goes on, not surprisingly). My favorite part about Brass Union is actually the shuffleboard table that they have right by the bar - I'm always up for a little friendly competition during a night out! If you're looking for a place to go for post-dinner (or pre-dinner) cocktails in Union Square that isn't pretentious but also serves up quality, reliable food & drinks, look no further than this local staple. read more

One of my favorite spots in Somerville. The food menu is a bit small but all the options are awesome. The drinks here are great and they do comedy shows out back sometimes. read more

We didn't really try the food, but the service, cocktails and especially the ambience were outstanding!!

We dined with a group of 6 at the event called "Brass Pair: Glendalough Distillery" - a pairing of great food with some finely crafted Irish Whiskey and Gin. Amazing. The main course for dinner was braised lamb shank - it was simply the most perfectly cooked lamb I've ever eaten - the entire group loved it! Tip of the cap to Chef Jonathan Kopacz! Moist, melt in your mouth lamb, and paired with Glendalough 13 year old single malt whiskey - a fine drink too - The distillery describes the whiskey's taste as having "an intense vanilla fudge luxurious sweetness" with "touches of fruit - lemon citrus, peach and dried apricot" - those flavors matched the lamb very nicely! I'm always impressed how great chefs can combine flavors in new ways. We were also introduced to several cocktails made with whiskey and gin from Glendalough, and my absolute favorite was a gin cocktail made by beverage director Paulo Pereira - who may be one of the most innovative bartenders I have had the pleasure of meeting! He worked Chef Kopacz to combine grilled grapefruit, with gin and submerged a flavor exploding orb into the gin cocktail - the edible orb explodes with flavor in your mouth with the gin & grapefruit - it was a sensuous orgasm in the mouth - seriously. Who thinks up this stuff? Paolo does, and it's no surprise he's listed on Zagat's list of 8 Boston Bartenders You Need to Know from 2014 - https://www.zagat.com/b/boston/8-boston-bartenders-you-need-to-know#7 We will be back. Our only dismay is that the Brass Union isn't closer to our home. read more

Vera’s - Amazing dinner, Whiskey pairing with Irish whiskey from Glendalough Distillery. Tip of the cap to Chef Jonathan Kopacz! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Smoked tofu is absolutely disgusting. Borderline inedible. I caution the vegetarians out there against it. Fries and mashed potatoes are good. I seriously over ate-- coming for you, Third circle of Hell! Heard the grilled cheese and tomato soup were good...but how can you go wrong with those?! Not the fanciest restaurant food wise. The head chef shouldn't be proud. Nothing to boast about. However, the bar knows what's up. They are making great cocktails. The ambiance is great. And it's fun since there are games and a DJ in the back once you are nice and drunk. read more

Vera’s - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This place has a split personality disorder with inattentive back bar staff, borderline sleezy hip dudes, and food decisions that are... confusing. I will say, I was stoked that a half carafe of Cotes du Rhone is $15 (even if it tasted like the bottle had been opened for a couple days). My friend got the grilled cheese and tomato soup and I think the only thing right about it was the bread choice. The cheese tasted like honey cream cheese and the soup was more tomato sauce than soup. I got the TLT and while the tofu was tasty, the bun and additional ingredients fell flat (who puts a vinaigrette and mayo on the SAME sandwich...?). The ambiance was weird. Clubby Chesterfield couches, bright lights for a bar/lounge, shuffle board and darts, and then red curtains with semi-stage lighting that makes you wonder whose great vision set up the interior. I will say, I appreciated the Lite Brite Restroom sign (but it does add to the lack of theme of the place--- or maybe, like how brass is a hodgepodge of copper and zinc, this place is a hodgepodge of dive bar and New American...). Between the mix feels on all things food/wine/vibes and the folks that were there being generally terrible/loud human beings, I'm pretty set on never stopping back in here. read more

Vera’s - So much sandwich - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I recently came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and I have to admit, it was a really good experience. I was thoroughly surprised by the quality of their food along with their service. The bartenders were extremely attentive and were nice enough to always ensure that we had full water glasses. Half way through the night, my boyfriend and I decided to try out their tortellini and their fries which were both amazing. The prices were definitely more on the expensive side but it didn't really bother us too much especially since everything else was great. If I'm ever in the area, I'll definitely swing by again to try out more of their menu. read more

Vera’s - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Very bad service. Waited 40 minutes for our first drinks, didn't have silverware or plates when the appetizer came out, never got water refilled, etc. Truffle fries were okay, carbonara was good but needed more pancetta. Burger was okay. read more

Honestly just so sick of this place and the people that work in there. It's as if every employee feels like they're entitled to be treated like royalty. Allow me to explain: I've been frequenting for a long time, not enough to be a regular but enough that they recognize me. Unless you order something simple, smile, ask politely, and tip handsomely, they will hate you. My friend ordered a $4 narragansett and didn't tip (rude but whatever) and the bartender literally calls us all out in front of everyone 20 minutes later. Another instance, I saw a drunk guy reach for a raspberry. Also rude, but was scolded like an infant as his friends tried to apologize on his drunken behalf to no avail. The most important one that is really the icing on the cake is there have been many incidents involving racism from the bouncers and staff. Have a little class brass. I'm not coming back unless someone forces me to, this place needs new management so badly. read more

I never thought I'd enjoy a Taco that didn't have a dead animal in it, until I stopped by Brass and indulged in the fried avocado taco. Brass is a hip cocktail bar, a great restaurant, and a place to cut a rug on the weekends, all wrapped into one! The Slow Burn is the finest mezcal based cocktail I've ever had. And the burgers are grilled to perfection. Seriously, if you're reading this stop what you're doing. Take your thumb out of your butt and head down to brass. Get the Lamb Burger cooked medium rare (if you're a medium well person don't bother going at all) say hello to the amazing staff, and when the DJ comes on, make sure you hit the floor! read more

Been there several times for Brunch. I like their BLT sandwich with a thick slice of bacon . read more

Vera’s - Chilaquiles - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Second time visiting Brass Union and second time getting their cheeseburger. The burger is juicy, perfectly cooked and huge! Their fries are double fried which makes them crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. On the other hand we visited with out vegetarian friend and she was very impressed with the Tofu BLT. The staff is friendly and accommodating. Will definitely come back just for the cheeseburger as I would rate it as one if not the best burger I've had in Boston. read more

Vera’s - Cheeseburger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Had dinner, stayed for drinks and shuffleboard. The food was okay here, nothing earth shattering bad or good. My husband was pleased with the beer list and I found the cocktails enjoyable. We ordered the empanadas as an appetizer, I got the chop salad as my entree as well as the choripan, and my husband got the mushroom fettuccini for his entree. The empanadas were good and I would order again. I very much enjoyed the salad. However, we thought the choripan was just okay and my husband didn't enjoy the mushroom fettuccini at all. It was very...liquidy. Almost like a soup? After dinner some friends joined us for drinks and shuffleboard inside downstairs. The vibe downstairs was great and we enjoyed ourselves. We would return but not sure if we'll go for dinner, maybe just drinks and snacks. read more

We had a terrible experience. Large party and the bartender decided to kick out one of us after a single round. She wasn't drunk. They were really mean about it and claimed she was sneaking drinks after they had cut her off, even though it was unclear that they had actually cut her off in the first place. When that kind of discipline is warranted I completely understand, but this was not justified at all and appeared to be more of a personal disagreement. On the way out of the bar the bartender called her a "c*nt" and was very aggressive. We really didn't deserve to be treated the way we were. I live in the area and will not be coming back- either by myself or with a large group (as I had done tonight- when out of town friends come into town, there is a big decision about where to go). Even putting aside the fundamental disagreement that we had, the staff were rude, dismissive, and one was simply downright inappropriate. Oh, and the one bite of pizza I got to eat was salty AF. read more

Huge fan of their service and food! Came here on a random Tuesday when my standby, Ebi Sushi, was randomly closed. It was frigid, I was starving, so we went to Brass Union which was pretty much right across the street. We ordered: Beef tartare Roasted cauliflower pork sandwich (it had arugula and a spicy sauce on ciabatta bread - I had a bite and it was delicious!) Lobster Papperdelle Sticky bread Service was fantastic (our server was Jason and he continually checked in on us and was super nice and friendly), and the food was great! Beef tartare was on point - perfectly oozy egg yolk on top, with crusty toast to accompany the seasoned beef - lip smackingly good! Roasted cauliflower was better than I had expected with a buttery sauce I kept trying to mop up with cauliflower bits. I'm such a big fan! read more

Vera’s - Sticky bread! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Wandered into Brass Union on the Sunday before Memorial Day during a wait for Backroom Bar. We ended up canceling our original reservation at the other place and staying here instead! It was a lowkey night, but I have no complaints! We were pleasantly surprised by the delicious cocktails carefully concocted by the skillful mixologist behind the bar. The drinks had very eclectic flavors that seemed to mesh unexpectedly well. If you are a lover of crafted cocktails, definitely try this place out! We found a number of table games that kept us entertained for the night: classic board games, Jenga, and shuffleboard. read more

Vera’s - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Cozy spot with amazing food and ambiance! I went on a date there, didn't work out though, he had little fingers! Vibe was amazing and they have games and a great music selection. I had the chicken with spinach and sweet potato mash, little fingers had the lamb burger (SO GOOD) Empanadas went crazy as well. read more

Vera’s - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Came here this past weekend to try out their dinner---good decision! I had the Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup. The soup is perfect for dipping your sammie in! The sandwich came with plaintains also, they were so good my friend and I decided to get an additional order to share. We also split the Roasted Cauliflower, excellent. My friend had the Steak Frites and she said she enjoyed them For beverages, I had a couple glasses of the Cava, it was decent. My friend had the Arya (I think I spelled that right!) which she enjoyed. The best part about this place, are the games they have. What's better than playing some bananagrams & four square while sippin' on some adult beverages? Probably nothing! Over all this place is stellar --food, vibe, drinks, service, all exceptional! read more

Vera’s - Enjoying the Grilled Cheese w/ Tomato Soup and some Cauliflower! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I love everything about this place. I think it's impossible to have a bad meal here! It's my go to place to take people who are visiting and want to go out to eat in Union Square. I recently brought my family and they were obsessed- not only with the food but with the atmosphere! We enjoyed the special that night (blue fish), pizza, and a $5 daiquiri special. The family also had a blast playing with the shuffle board and Pac-Man machine in the back. read more

Vera’s - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Hip cocktails and lengthy beer list- the variety of games including two large shuffle boards makes this place a fun joint for a Saturday night. The DJ is also really good! read more

Vera’s - Great cocktail list - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I live in Union Square so I'm kind of forced to come here more often that I'd prefer if I don't want to venture further on a particular night. My issue with this place is two fold: I never want anything from the menu when I come in here. It rarely changes and although it's huge it's nothing special. It's kinda of like you're stepping back into time with an old food menu but you're surrounded by annoying 20 somethings getting drunk and playing shuffleboard. It's a paradox. If I am eating here I tend to go for the small side pasta dishes - they're not bad. The lamb burger is ok but on the salty side. The steak frites doesn't come cut for you. The bartender on the "adult" side of the bar is slow AF. Like flirting with the wait staff by the kitchen kind of slow. Like she only has a couple people at the bar and a few tables filled and WHF is she taking so long kind of slow. It doesn't make sense kind of slow. We are always waiting for water and cocktail refills. Every time. Eh. read more

Great cocktails Great beer selection (lots of local choices) Great food and bar snacks Fun atmosphere (table shuffle board and board games) Make a reservation if you come to eat on a weekend, other than that you should be good to go! read more

Y'know, I think this is the first time I'm writing a review where the headline is "the drinks are better than the food". Nevertheless, they are. We sampled about half the cocktail menu between us, and everything was well executed and interesting. The " B's Knees", a basil-accented riff on that classic, was probably the biggest hit. Double points for the pricing; theirs is a few dollars lower than most in the area, and that adds up. Looked like a solid beer selection too. We also went through most of the small plates, the theme of which was always "needs something". Steak tartare needed more herb or spice. Chicken thighs didn't taste like the alleged jerk. Cod cakes cried out for garlic and perhaps basil or cilantro. Mushroom toast was as good as everyone says. Plantain chips were a plain old bar snack, but a good one. So get those two, drink up, and think about other options if you want a serious dinner. read more