Costello's Tavern

You guys declined with atmosphere and service in the past 5 years after COVID! You don't tell a customer that comes to this place a lot and say that he can only have a one and done because I accidentally slipped on the stairs coming in for the first time and laughing at me while telling me? Y'all need different bartenders! Plus the people who I used to see here 5 years ago were like the real hipsters in the day, doesn't seem like it anymore!

Late night Sunday dinner was great. Food was cooked and seasoned so well. Cheers to the Sunday cook! Service was great, down to earth and attentive without being over bearing. Diverse crowd MUSIC WAS ON POINT!

Oh my Gawd !!! It's been 20 years since I been inside here. I see that Boston Burger Company took over the kitchen so I know it was all remodeled and what a delight. I started with the enormous super crispy onion rings !!! Then I got the Papi burger and it was just too good. It had a hotdog inside and I ate it separate ..... bcuz it was just too amazing The vibe is great here and the bartender / server big smile and great service.

Went back for the first time since the reopening. I enjoyed it. Server seemed new but was accommodating. Prices more expensive than Galway house so I don’t see myself going back unless I’m unable to grab a seat at the bar. $6 Tall Boy Turtle Swamp can was a steal though Edit: Been back a couple of times since and the atmosphere has really improved. Best place for game days and friendly service at the bar. Recently had Boston Burger Company take over their kitchen. Expensive but the burgers were delicious

Fun pub in Jamaica Plain. TV's visible from all angles, great for watching sports. Boston burger company runs the kitchen with a great food menu!

Great nieghborhood bar to watch a sporting event. Plenty of t.v.s and seating. Good service and decent bar food.

Got a Sam Adams Octoberfest and an Allagash White. Both tasted great and the bartender had exceptional service. The place was very busy and ordering took a little bit, but it was more than understandable because of how many drink orders he had. Can't speak on the food; only had drinks when we stopped by.

Nice place, big portions, cheap drinks and their blue cheese is very strong.

Awesome food, great drinks - good spot to watch a game. Happy they got rid of some bartenders that made lewd comments the whole time and asked me to tip better so they could play Keno. I think they are back on track now after a couple down years without that combo.

Staff was extremely dismissive and rude when my card was stolen, accused me of lying multiple times. Claimed cameras did not cover whole bar. Unsafe environment, do not attend.

Definitely a fun spot in Jamaica Plain. JP sorely needs more bar venues, and Costellos helps scratch that itch. The drinks are pretty affordable and well-done. The wait staff was quick with service and, although they forgot to put some of our food in when we ordered, they were helpful with the rest of our order. We ordered the fish and chips -- the fish was delicious. Would definitely recommend. It came on a bed of fries and it was more than enough for two people. Portion sizes were great and made it a very affordable experience. We will definitely be coming back!

This place is a classic sports bar and one of the only ones in JP. A ton of TVs so great for Saturdays and Sundays. Kimberly is a gem and an awesome bartender. Really attentive and friendly. Tony is a little bit of a grump but he's cool too once you get to know him.

I must say I love the wings !!!! Service is great depends on the day and who is on shift but it's definitely my Go-To spot for casual and late night vibes

This review is for delivery from the new kitchen that is now a Boston Burger Co outpost. As with other BBC locations, the menu is exciting with plenty of turkey and veggie burger options with all kinds of combos and toppings, something you don't find often at a 'burger joint'. I was not disappointed with the results either- our meal was flavorful, filling, and overall enjoyable, as we've experienced in the past with other BBC locations. Maybe the experience is better in-person though, since we experienced a few downsides that were likely specific to delivery. The burger containers weren't labeled so we needed to take them apart to determine which was which, they only each came with 1 side instead of the 2 that you choose when ordering, the wings we ordered didn't come with the chosen sauce (any sauce, that is), and it was fairly expensive overall for delivery.

Well, I have lived in JP many years and I never went to Costello's because they didn't have good veggie friendly meals. So I thought I would try it with Boston Burger. Mistake. I got a veggie burger with barbecue sauce and onion rings lettuce and tomato. The onion rings were completely soggy, the tomatos were the ends that you usually dispose of, and the entire burger was mush. If I'm paying $3 to have onion rings on my burger I want them to be crispy, not a watered-down mess. Also the restaurant took so long making this little sandwich that GrubHub assigned three different drivers to pick this up because they all waited so long. Each driver waited for this burger to be made and then they gave up so it was reassigned. My house is 0.15 m from here so there is definitely no excuse about how it could have gotten soggy on the way. The driver got here in the amount of time that the waitress could have brought it to my table. Most ​d definitely overpriced. I want my $30 back.

Great pub food & tots - showing all the college football games. We were still able to get tots after the kitchen closed

Great service! Great burgers! Love to just go for a beer and play keno ! Definitely recommend!

I should wait until the kitchen reopens to write this but I'm plowing ahead now. Costello's has always been a favorite casual place in J.P. and I thought their burger and fries were excellent (and a great price). Was worried when they were closed for so long during covid but went in tonight to check out the revamped bar. It's gotten a refresh and there are 11 TVs. but the booths are gone, the lighting is too bright, there's no list or display of bottled beers and the topper was some dude walking in yelling out Let's go Brandon. I sure don't want to hear that anywhere I go.

Might be the best burgers in the City, certainly in JP! Outstanding blend of meat cuts in the ground beef. Widest array of specialty burger fixings I have ever seen. Great beers - and coffee drinks (Iced). Service is friendly and quick.

Bartender was fantastic. Lights were up so bright I felt like I was on the surface of the sun. It's a bar y'all not a tanning salon relax.

Fabulous food, service, drinks, and ambiance! The menu from Boston Burger Company is delicious.

This time everything was bad. Ambiance was terrible due to the loudest noise I have experienced in years. Waitress was indifferent and ignored requests for help. Took 35 minutes to get a burger. I ordered a rare burger and got one that was not only well done but burned to a crisp. Choked down half and left the rest. Miserable experience.

I hadn't been to Costello's in years, but went back last night to try the new restaurant there - Boston Burger. My friend and I had really good burgers as well as the homemade chips they were served with. A great addition to the neighborhood!

Boston burger has arrived and food is fantastic. Try the garlic parm wings with the coldest beer around. Burgers are huge and come in many varieties. Service is great and they have some of the best bartenders around! Well done Costello's!

I like the new version! Firefighter bar now. Brighter cleaner simpler. Hard to find decent watering hole in the city.

Costello's is my go neighborhood bar in JP. It's on Centre Street with lots of other bars, restaurants, cafes, and shops surrounding it. There is always a different kind of crowd when I visit. The bartender, John, is a great guy and is fun to talk to when sitting at the bar. Their karaoke night on Wednesday's is pretty fun also! I've had low key nights here with just beer and bar food (amazing onion rings) and also some pretty crazy nights involving shots of tequila. Overall I will continue to come here during my time in Boston.

Best wings in Boston. Best Bloody Mary in Boston. If you're looking for either of those things, you won't find a better spot than Costello's. I'd honestly sacrifice my first born child for a lifetime supply of their buffalo wings. Perfectly crisp on the outside with tender juicy meat on the inside. Money can't buy happiness, but it can sure as hell buy Costello's buffalo wings.

Went there to try the new burger menu but underwhelming would be an understatement. $18 for a tough burger, old lettuce and soggy fries. Interior is meh at best. Not going back

I freaking loved this place! please be advised - CASH ONLY. which I love, because once you get over the fact that you have to actually withdraw some cash, you will be shocked at how little you need to have a bangin good time. All bottles of beer are $4.50. Domestics are even cheaper, and they have taps pouring 10 beers with several rotating. Protip: 20oz pours is .50c extra. I got a burger. with an egg. and bacon. It was $9 bucks. With hand cut fries that were very, very good (very close to 5guys type fries) My only negative was they got a little soggy after sitting out for about 10 minutes. If anyone that works there reads this, do the double fry - it's a solid technique I used all the time back in my kitchen days. My lovely girlfriend got a pepperoni pizza for $8.50 which was legit 14". Enough for 2, and tasted like it could stand alone at a pizza joint. Bar type atmosphere with enough TV's to go around. Some electronic darts in the back, good ambient music, and heavy hand wine pours. Our server was attentive and a freaking rocket moving around the place. Food came out super quick as well. If you are driving there is street parking or a large lot behind the Bank of America. And if you happen to forget money, they do have an ATM that charges $2.75. that is, if your bank isn't one of the 10 that are within a blocks walk. You can catch me here at least once a month moving forward.

They rescued our night after our sh*tty experience at Coolidge corner clubhouse lmao. This is only 9 min from CCC so I highly recommend choosing costellos instead if you're contemplating heading to CCC tonight do yourself a favor and choose Costello's instead, your welcome in advance.

Madison was THE BEST server I've encountered in the business. I'm a bartender and I was blown away but her hospitality, humor and attentiveness. 1,000,000 points to Madison! She's is an absolute gem!

In life there's a time for tapas and wine, and there's a time for cheap craft brews and spicy chicken. Being new to JP it was important to sample some of the local flavour. And by that I mean I'm eating my way up Centre Street. Costello's was one of the first on the list, a recommendation for their Keno and Trivia. They had neither going on when we stopped by, but what they do have is the cheapest 20oz Jack's Abby House Lager on tap that I've ever seen - $5. Can I order a trough? Starving after the blistering five minute walk to get there, we descended upon the bar menu with enthusiasm. All the carbs. The veggie burger was rated tasty but a little heavy on the breading, and the buffalo chicken sliders were excellent if a little bready. Their fries seem homemade, which makes me a happy camper. We walked away with a $30 check for dinner. The brick walls were lined with plenty of empty tables on a Monday night at 6:30, but I could see it being packed with locals and regulars on a Friday night. Five star dive bar!

We live in JP and have not been in since 2018 due to poor service and unimpressive food quality....until last night. We had seen the announcement that Boston Burgers had taken over the kitchen, so we decided to give it another try. Completely worth it! Service was excellent, drinks were quick and the burgers were very good. We watched the Bruins win with a great crowd. Only reason we are not giving 5 stars was the bar is lacking a few ingredients to make the first drink I requested. We will definitely go back.

One of my favorite spots!!!!!! I was born and raised in JP so this place literally feels like home to me! I mainly come here for two reasons, GREAT food and awesome ambiance! In addition, they're inexpensive! With all of the gentrification going on in JP, this is one of the "original" gems! You walk in, welcomed by the old wooden booths, jukebox, wonderful bartenders and the usual old timers huddled at their same corner by the back door- overall, a unique ambiance you don't really get at newer JP establishments. Drinks are great, I usually get a beer or glass of wine- you get full glass for about $6-$7(woohoo) My favorite and main reason why I come here- CHILI CHEESE FRIES and CHICKEN WING BASKETS! Now, these chicken wings come in different flavors: buffalo, BBQ, teriyaki and my all time favorite, bourbon molasses baby! I've also tried their pizza and nachos, also very good!! So to all you newer residents (aka yuppies, sorry-not sorry) of Jamaica Plain, please cherish this little gem! PLEASE do not think about replacing this with a Starbucks, Sweetgreen, Soulcycle, or an organic paper store with organic furniture who sells special plant based cheese aged in gold from the exotic caves of a little unknown town in Europe and that retails for $600 a pound. Thanks! :)

I used to get take out from here on some week nights. Really good chicken parm and fried cod. Huge & Hearty portions and very generous portions. Great burgers too.

Decided to try something new and took a friend out to dinner at Costello's in JP. Imagine my embarrassment when the check came and I was informed that they are a cash only establishment. I haven't carried cash in years and never bothered to set up an ATM pin number on my credit cards. Total humiliation having to have my guest pick up the tab. Costello's and other establishments need to get into the 21st century. Most people don't carry cash anymore. The food and drinks didn't impress me enough to try again with cash in hand.

Glad to see this place has re-opened! One of the few places to catch sports games In JP. My boyfriend and I enjoy their burgers, and their bloody Mary's are delicious!

Best place ever! Bartenders are hot af and actually care and smile. Bathrooms are super clean. Food is phenomenal!! Tater tots all the way.

I was walking down Centre street looking for a place with affordably priced food and cheap drinks. Looks like I picked the right spot! There is tons of space inside (huge plus for me) so you're not cramped next to a bunch of other people while trying to enjoy a night out. The prices are amazing considering the area. Great selection of beer too. I was in the mood for some pizza and Costello's did not disappoint. $8.50 for a cheese pizza twice the size of my head. Sold. Tons of food options including hot dogs, nachos, wings, pizza, burgers, etc. Boyfriend and I will surely be back!

Loved the affordability, loved the beer menu, but the service could have been more attentive and the fact that it's cash only should be more prominently displayed. However! There was an ATM in the bar, which is convenient. My one real complaint is that the deviled eggs had JALAPENOS in them. First of all, gross. Second of all, hey, if you're going to add a spicy pepper to a delicious classic, put that ish on the menu description. That said, I recommend it here! Fix those deviled eggs, my friends.

I love this bar. The food is ok, they have vegetarian options and they're all good - what you'd expect from a dive bar, nothing to die for. The service is good, all bartenders and servers are very friendly. The beers and drinks are very cheap. They have Allegash White for $4.75. Do I need to say more? I love that they have good beers in bottles and on tap for an affordable price. It might be my favorite bar.

Costello's is an exactly average sports bar in every way. It has the same food, beer and televisions you can find in every other sports bar in Boston. Same wood everywhere look, too. But one of the best things about Jamaica Plain is that folks don't just go there to go to bars, so Costello's - like most of the bars here - usually isn't as crowded as bars in town. You know how, say, Hurricane's gets pretty packed around game time? Costello's will have a healthy crowd, but you've got a decent chance of finding a table at some point. There are a ton of bars in JP, and many of them are spectacular. But if you'd like to see what JP is like but you're kindof a pussy, start at Costello's so you feel comfortable; then you can slowly branch out from there. (Don't make the Galway House your second stop, though - you probably can't handle the Galway House.)

I vote no on Costello's. I've gone here a bunch of times, and it's kind of a mixed bag. Their barstaff straddles itself between rude and apathetic pretty artfully, and the food has mastered the mediocrity skill set. Example: I used to come here for the veggie dogs before I broke veg, and they were religiously out of them. So one time, I actually called to make sure they had them. The woman's response was "of course we do. We never run out of those things." I said, "the last three times I've come, you've been out." She said, "that never happened,' and hung up on me. Despite the rudeness, which is sort of old hat and expected when you're dealing with this place, I went anyways. Guess what they were out of? It wasn't buffalo fingers. I've had a handful of not terrible experiences, though. Some of the regulars are friendly, and I've been the surprised recipient of a round of drinks bought by a drunk townie on more than one occasion. This place is also, to my knowledge, the only bar in JP with Direct TV's NFL Ticket package, so if you like teams that aren't the Patriots, this might be the place for you. They're also open pretty late.

I'd have to add my accolades to this tavern. The food, though not fancy, is excellent. The beer on tap, though not varied, is the best. Fresh ingredients, good preparation. Can't beat that! In short, if you want good beer and grub, with no attitude, you can't do better than Costello's in Jamaica Plain. There's been a slew of restaurants in Jamaica Plain recently, whose main contribution has been a snotty attitude, and crappy expensive food. If you want to spend $11 on a PBJ sandwich, good luck to ya. However, if you want a $16 New York Sirloin; as good as your gonna get, go to Costello's. It's that simple. And listen to the Specials, they are a great deal. Keep away from the Chili: it's not that it's not fresh, but it just may be the most deadly combination of grease and spices known to mankind. You have been warned.

Costello's proves the diversity of Jamaica Plain. It's like a little piece of America, right here in Massachusetts! The place is just a sports bar on Main Street. It's not an Irish bar or a gay bar or a karaoke bar or a dive bar or a martini bar or a fancy bar-restaurant. Just a bunch of TVs and the game. The food is extremely straightforward and doesn't even pretend to come from another country. Nonetheless, a lot of the food is pretty tasty--I recommend anything with steak tips and I also find that the burgers are juicy and cooked to order. I haven't been to the bar at night but any other time you will find spaciou environs and ample seating. It's a nice way station between community and solitude; it kinda lets you be "alone in the crowd." Alas, you have to be able to tolerate the sports bar auditory environment, viz. 20 TVs blasting simultaneously AND the juke box going. Headaches are an occupational hazard. Service is welcoming, attentive. Prices are fair. Must pay in cash. A nice break from the occasionally hoity-toity feel of Jamaica Plain.

BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Food is overpriced and not very good. Service is rude and sparse. Floor is dirty.

I've been here a few times, and the food is just okay. The biggest annoyance in this place is that it's cash only, which I don't understand why a place like this would be. Your bill is likely to be over $15...so why wouldn't you accept CCs here? Weird. Also they only seem to have one waitress working whenever I've been here, and the times I've been it's been fairly busy. Hrm.

One star for being a good bar to have some drinks at. Zero stars for: 1) the food is horrible 2) the service is horrible 3) the place needs a serious deep cleaning, dirty floors and tables 4) the ladies bathroom is filthy. it smells like urine - horrible service = 1) the waitress dropping off a plate of buffalo chicken wings to a group of people, giving no napkins or plates. 2) Having to wander around the restaurant trying to locate napkins, and silverware. 3) having to go to the bar to get more drinks (even though we had table service) 4) asking for ketchup and water and having the waitress never return.

If "old man bar" means good, cheap food; $2.50 bottled beer, big strong drinks; friendly staff and a diverse crowd of REAL locals (yeah!) - and recent transplants occasionally dancing too close around a jukebox while watching a Big Game, call me an Old Man, witches. I love you, Costello's tavern.

I think Costello's is the best place in JP to watch a game. They have a bunch of flat screen TV's in there that are on again off again HD. There is good local vibe to the place and it's easy to get a table for the most part. The burgers are great and I like the buffalo chicken pizza a whole bunch. Try the Costello burger which has blue cheese and bacon. Enjoy the wonderful greasiness! My roomie absolutely loves the wings there too. It is a cash only which is a bummer but I can deal with that. The service is a crap shoot and It's also a little bright for my liking.

Costello's was a solid three stars. I'll start with the positive: Went there on NFL season opener Sunday and was really impressed by the number of games they had going. People came in in their Dolphins, Vikings, Lions, Jets etc tshirts and everyone saw their games on a screen (even though the Pats got three screens and the sound) because of NFL Sunday Ticket. It was really cool! Also the drink prices a really decent for Boston. The servers were very accommodating and understanding we were all jonesing for our football. The bad: The atmosphere definitely leaves something to be desired. It's just kind of dingy, nothing special. While the staff was accommodating, they weren't very friendly, energetic, or engaging. The food was mediocre (we had brunch). And it was absolutely freezing inside. I may go back, but it's definitely not at the top of my list. I'd be willing to try their lunch, or check out trivia some time, but it's not an environment that demands you return.

Consistently good and some surprising plusses. Their mac and cheese with the side salad is fabulous, not runny cheeze-whizzy Velveeta, but a nice combination of semi soft cheeses cooked to perfection with peas and ham. The mesclun salad is one of the best on Centre Street, and their home made bleu cheese dressing is awesome too. The fish tacos are great as well. Their french fries are amazing too. Oh, and succulent juicy wings. The servers are friendly, and the crowd is a mishmash of locals.

Oh, Costello's. How do I review thee? Over the years, I've spent a lot of time at Costello's. A lot. It's not the best bar you'll ever visit, but it's certainly not the worst. It's convenient and affordable. I've been there for Red Sox World Series games and more often than not, after a show at the Footlight Club. Filled with a nice mix of older locals and young folks, it's always hoppin'. Also, they have Deviled Eggs. In an order, you get three halves. Why three? How much more does it really cost to serve me two full eggs' worth? The food has most definitely improved over my time coming here. Now there's "Katie's Kitchen" at Costello's and they should give a daily handshake to whoever made the decision to let Katie run the kitchen. It's so much better than before. On our last visit, my husband and I split a Buffalo Chicken Pizza (his choice, I agreed) and I was afraid it would be so greasy and I'd be sick, but no. It was really tasty! I also love getting drinks here for slightly cheaper than I would in some other local bars.

It may be weird, but this is my post-yoga spot to hang out with my best friend and replace all that energy with some chicken wings and beers! It is a no-frills locals bar with a good range of beers on tap and all the pub fare you would expect, and they do it really well. The food is always fresh and good, and the bartenders are always nice and attentive. One night our bartender put a lime in a Raspberry Harpoon and it tasted just like a lime rickey - I'm hooked!

Since when I am in JP, I split my time between the apartment I pay rent on and Costello's, I figured it should be my first review. Put plainly - this is my local watering hole and it deserves to be. It's an easy choice. It's right in the middle of town, it's affordable, it has a dart board, keno and a jukebox and one HELL of a veggie burger. SO it's cash only. There are at least FOUR ATMs within 50 feet of this place...and it always makes splitting the bill that much easier. Go for a beer and the veggie or Costello burger, buffalo chicken pizza or nachos (the white mystery cheese sauce is out of control good). Best value - basket of fries with Honey Mustard to dip. Don't get the veggie spring roll appetizer. This is not the place to try and go all Asian fusion. See you there tomorrow night.

Are the TV's HD? They're flat-screen. But the image is stretched out and just doesn't look extra special. But it's still a good place to watch the game as there are TV's aplenty. You can see them from pretty much anywhere. Even from the floor where you lay drunken in a puddle of your own urine while townies step over you. Surprisingly good cheap food. Great burgers. Great hand-cut fries. Not enough servers so it might take a while. But they're good when they do get around to you. Not many beers on tap, but who cares when you can get 22 oz of Harpoon UFO for $4.50?

A solid "meh." It's a sports bar, with greasy bar food, some beers on tap, and a horrendous selection of wine options. So, it's pretty much like every other bar in Boston. They do have live-band karaoke on Wednesday night's though, so that's pretty awesome. Service is spotty- but trends towards the slow side. And be forewarned: CASH ONLY.