Night Shift @ Herter Park

Nice spot for a beer by the river. Weird arbitrary rules from management. Mostly empty beer garden, was riding by and figured I’d stop for a brew. Didn’t have a bike lock with me and the crappy wheelbender racks are far away from any tables, so I rolled my bike over to an out of the way corner along the perimeter fence so I could keep an eye on it. Got hollered at that I couldn’t have my bike in the beer garden… so I moved it 4.5 inches to the other side of the rope fence… I’m sure there are times when it’s too crowded to have a bunch of bikes about… but seems like empowering staff to use their best judgement would be a better approach.

This beer garden is a pretty cozy spot with a relaxed vibe, perfect for hanging out with friends in the evening. The beer selection is a bit limited. Definitely worth a visit if you're looking for a chill place to enjoy some drinks with friends!

Awesome location to enjoy some refreshing brews, tantalizing food trucks, and play some lawn games surrounded by friends on the weekend. Much less crowded than the Esplenade location, and fewer bugs to annoy you. If you're local, it's the perfect spot for afternoon gathering and lawn games. Make sure to take advantage of it while it's open in the summer.

Great chill spot for hanging out and having a few drinks. Staff were super friendly and helped us pick some beers (we went with the Steinbier and the lactose sour), the spot was super relaxing and lovely. Portaloos available, and would recommend shoes that are flat since the ground is just grass/dirt. Oh, and when the path forks go the left! We walked all the way past the venue before realizing where the entrance was 😅 Would recommend bringing food if you think you’ll get hungry! Pretty sure we found our new favorite spot to meet up with friends :)

Expected this place to be swamped on a Saturday evening and was more then pleasantly surprised - what an awesome spot. Right on the river, next to community garden with free flowing beer this place is a little hidden oasis. Can't rave enough about the relaxing atmosphere and chilled out vibes, I'll be frequenting here all summer.

Great outdoor beer garden. It's in the middle of a park. Easy to bike to and free parking if you drive down. There's a playground, wading pool, etc for the kids nearby. The beers are great as you would expect from Night Shift.

This was a lovely place to enjoy a cold beer on a warm summer day. It wasn't overly crowded, even on a lovely Saturday afternoon, and the river was lovely. Being next to the garden makes for a beautiful view! The people working there seemed friendly and happy to help, and the drinks were great. It was a very nice, relaxing way to spend an hour when visiting from out of state!

This is, a wonderful location right next to the Charles river a great location to take a break on the ride home or hang out by the river and watch the rowing teams practice and even a family of geese Unfortunately they increased their prices significantly by significantly decreasing the cup sizes and keeping the price the same kept the same it has a very limited snack menu, however they do allow you to bring outside food. The staff are not always very friendly but that is ok since there is limited interaction with them. UPDATE, so happy now back to the original size! The extra 2 oz, ooh so nice! Not much there for food, but they are open to bringing your own, which is great!

It's all about location, ambiance, and quality of the offerings. It's a beer garden in simple form! I think it offers everything you would hope for. There's no five stars due to lack of snacks. Maybe it's a food license missing? Anyways, this location is better the the average 3.5 stars it's trending at.

Had a beer at Night Shift Brewing Owl's Nest on Friday evening. The space is cool, but the staff was not very friendly, and without offering tastes you need to hope to select your beer correctly immediately. Quality: They had nine beers on tap, all served as full pours. They do not offer samplers or tastes, they made that very clear to us. I ended up with The 87, a NE Double IPA, which was was less fruity and more bitter than I expected. As the sun was going down the temperature quickly dropped and we headed off before exploring the menu more. Quantity: Standard plastic cup pours. Value: $7-$8.50 for Draft Beers. Ambiance: Night Shift Brewing Owl's Nest is a beer garden set up next to the Charles River in Allston. They have a large green space adjacent to the waterway. A few trees provide shade on the picnic tables. They have you order at the front, where they also had a remarkably clean porta-potty. Crowd: A small crowd, mostly families, on a beautiful Fall day. Service: A bit curt and rude. They snapped at us multiple times, for not knowing the correct entrance, and asking for a taste of one of the beers. Parking: Huge free lot nearby.

Pre covid review: Came to the esplanade location and although there was a line to get in we had no trouble getting a beer and a bench. Just have to keep your eyes pealed, people! The beer lines move quickly and there are multiple menus to look at, which my hard of seeing self appreciates. Very happy that it's dog friendly.

They no longer allow dogs which makes no sense because tons of people walk their dog down the esplanade. They have a roped off area around the food trucks and drinks and will not let your enter that area to purchase anything if you bring a dog. This shocked me as this used to be a great spot for me to walk my pup grab a beer and chill out.

I'm surprised by some of the lower reviews for this spot. This little pop up brewery is a great idea and location, right along the Charles River a HAWT spot for a lot of runners and bikers. It's not a huge space and does not have a ton of seating, but I would guestimate can seat approximately 35 people? There are also a number of barrels in which people can stand around and place their bevvys on. There wasn't a huge beer selection which I wouldn't expect from this type of pop up, but they did have a variety of types available. I got the wheat beer from Night Shift, and a stout (maybe.. Gunner's Daughter it was called?). They were both great, I absolutely loved the stout which was a peanut butter stout. The wheat had a taste similar to a Shock Top and was just the refreshment I wanted after a longer run. I would recommend bringing your own snacks, as they have some nuts and baked chickpeas available for purchase for $6, but that's about it. One woman next to me had a full charcuterie spread so... do that because it looked wonderful. Anyways, great pop up when your looking to enjoy those Boston summers along a source of H20.

We came here the other day for a mid day break Pros: + Gorgeous scenery outdoors + Great for summer Cons: - Rand out of several beers/wines - Pretty packed - Pricey - Limited seating options

Really cute outdoor bar right on the water. The wine is reasonably priced for the first time at an outdoor pop up which is a huge win for me. It's very dog and child friendly. They have some lawn games such as corn whole and connect 4. This is a great find for all ages.

Pros: Beautiful location. Dogs are welcomed. Respectable beer and wine selection for being and outside deal Games to play, like Uno. Cons: Pricey for the wine Lines can be painfully long Dogs can leave, uh, smells Can be difficult to get to if you're not the walking type (I am, so it's no biggie) Can get really, really, packed, which kinda kills the peaceful scenery Overall it's a cool idea, but I personally would rather enjoy the Charles along the esplanade from a bench than hang out in there.

Fun brewery with a nice selection of drafts and some good bar food. Place was really busy but we were seated right away. Interior is nice, also good location to watch a game. We've ordered two different Hefeweizen that are only available at this location. Also ordered the chicken tenders and the sriracha flatbread. Both were simple but really good. The dips that came with it tasted great. Our waitress was super friendly and quick with everything we've needed.

I went to this Night Shift outdoor pop-up on the Esplanade last night and absolutely LOVED it. The location is gorgeous, water views and sailboats going by. There were a few beers on tap as well as some cans, by Night Shift as well as other brewers. They had only a few snack options (beef jerky and roasted chickpeas) but there's tons of restaurants nearby and you're allowed to bring food in, so it might be better to picnic it. There were tables and games. For restrooms they only had port-a-potties, but again, there's lots of restaurants nearby you could leave and go to if you needed to.

I went to the Esplanade location for a private event. I have had Night Shift beer before, I've been to their brewery. It is decent beer, and my time at the brewery was fun. This review is specifically for my experience last night. 1) The esplanade location is gorgeous. Amazing views of Boston and Cambridge. The park however closes at 10 pm (apparently), and the people running the beer garden wanted everyone out by that time. How does one accomplish this? By making a loud, clear announcement 30 minutes before closing? Nah. By making an announcement at the start of the event so everyone knows what to do come closing time? Nope. By screaming and cursing at people to leave at 9:55 pm? BINGO. To their credit, they flashed the overhead lights twice beforehand. I understand that Boston's public drinking laws were designed by the East German Secret Police, and that an establishment can lose its liquor license for literally anything, but as a paying customer I really do not appreciate being yelled at to "get the F*CK out". Instead of screaming, maybe try a loud, clear announcement at 40 minutes before close? Start getting people out 30 minutes before close so the exit in an orderly fashion? 2) The people running the beer garden called the police to disperse the crowd that naturally formed in front of the closing beer garden once everyone was rudely herded out. Where else were we supposed to go? Vanish into thin air? Sprint out of the park? If you know the park closes at 10 pm, then aim to close your establishment at 9:30 pm and make sure people leave by 9 pm. I had the pleasure of walking out to police sirens and loudspeakers. I sincerely hope the City of Boston charges the establishment for the officers' time. Your business' logistic failures shouldn't be at the city's expense. Overall: this is no way to treat customers. I realize that some people can be obnoxious especially after a few drinks, but if you're charging $10 for a beer and hosting private events (aka guaranteed revenue), then you need have the logistics worked out. PS: The craft beer scene is so 2017. Most of these breweries make exactly the same beer which most people wouldn't be able to tell apart. I won't be sorry to see some of them close.

This place seemed better than it actually was. The host was rude. It was a cool evening and there were several open tables in the sun, asked if we could sit there and got a hard No, zero explanation. Brought us to a table with wet seats and host made a big deal about wiping off the bench. Food truck was backed up so wait for food was really long, while we were freezing at the sunless wet table. All & all not the best experience. Would not return.

Fun little spot near the kayak/SUP rental area on Soldiers Field Road near the Eliot Bridge. It's a fun place to enjoy the outdoors during the summer and fall and drink some quality Night Shift Beer. Definitely check it out when it warms up again.

We got there just after 9 on a Friday and the menu board was being taken in. Apparently it was last call. Despite being last call, the girls in charge were still really nice and gave one of my friends some recommendations and joked with us a bit. We each got a beer and sat down at one of the many free tables around. We thought about playing Cornhole but there were a group of people and a dog just standing in the middle. We were enjoying ourselves for a bit, but then realized we were all getting chewed up by mosquitoes (some of us had hoodies, long socks and long pants on and still got bit all over the ankles!). From there, we took our drinks and walked around the water and in the park there--didn't get in trouble having our drinks out in the open. TLDR; get there early to enjoy more than one drink and the nice view around here, but bring bug spray.

Well.....unfortunately I did not enjoy my experience here. Don't get me wrong - it's an awesome view of the charles, great location, & good beer. However, we were disappointed by the way they handled our party coming in. First of all, the rules are VERY confusing. All the restaurants or breweries we've been to with COVID have been easy to understand; something like "wear masks until you are seated and then any time you get up and the menu on your phone using the QR code." With Owl's Nest, you use the QR code to look at the menu but the ordering is done through text and using table #'s, then they leave your drinks on a designated table in the middle of the area with a space sectioned off specifically for your order. Second, our party was too big apparently. So they have a 6 person max based on the contract they made with the city [or something like that] - totally understandable - 4 of us arrived right at our reservation time and got to sit down. The last of our party, 2 adults, came and would not be allowed in because they had a baby, pushing us over the 6 person limit. A baby under 1 years old! They don't even count on planes. Some people may say that this is on us and that's fine, but on their website it doesn't specify adults; babies, generally, are not counted as they do not eat, drink, or take up space like an adult does. We were shocked and disappointed since the couple had driven up from Weymouth to meet us. Not to mention the staff weren't kind or apologetic about the situation. They didn't work with us to find a solution, it was basically "sucks to suck" for us. We even tried switching one person out so our friend holding her baby could sit down and they yelled at us that we couldn't just "switch people out." Alright. We finished our drinks and got out of there. This was a go to spot that we had been to a few times last summer and now I don't anticipate going back. I get it, COVID is making everyone's lives very difficult and I know they need to follow rules and make a living. Now we know babies count in the 6 person max and your screwed if you were caught unawares. My hope is that this review saves you the trouble!

We made the trek to the esplanade to try the Owl's nest. The views are gorgeous! There are beers, wines, and cider to choose from and there is a nice variety. Staff are friendly and the line moved quickly. There weren't enough tables so the space felt crowded. It's a nice spot but not very relaxing.

45 minutes to get a table because of reservations, and they wouldn't let us step past the rope to use the porta-potty because it's "the policy" even though we were fully willing to order food and drinks. Some policies (or employees) should follow imminent sense. 1:40pm on 9/12.

Such a cute place! I had no idea this was nestled right in my neighborhood of Boston. Ordering was a bit of a disorganized process, hence the 4 stars, but the staff was very friendly and accommodating. Beer and food were great!

Great outdoor spot, a good amount of seating and a pretty solid beer list. Would definately recommend if you're looking for an afternoon spot. Dog friendly which is awesome, child friendly which is slightly less awesome. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite summer spots. I like to bike from Waltham and grab a beer along the river before heading home. It's a cant miss when open.

Very relaxing, kid-friendly, dog-friendly spot along the Charles River for a pop-up beer garden. Map yourself to Herter Park in Brighton, and go off to the right side of the parking lot (when facing the river). The beer garden is next to the community garden. All beers are from cans, not taps. They serve their standard beers as well as rotating seasonals. Non-alcoholic beverages also sold. Great place for a drink in good weather!

I'm giving this one star because we showed up at 9:20 pm, 40 minutes before they closed and the girl on the stool at the front said we couldn't come in because they were at capacity. I said a group of people had just left and she said "Well we close soon".. which is a little premature. Then I asked if I could at least use the bathrooms and she said she couldn't let us in at all. I've never been before, but my fiancé and I wanted to bring our out of town friend to a cool spot.. I don't think we'll be coming back. It's too bad, we're really big fans of Night Shift and have been since their early days. Bummer.

Relaxed, lovely atmosphere for some craft beer by the water. Went on a Friday afternoon (from 4pm to around 8) and it wasn't terribly crowded - plenty of tables and chairs available, and looked like they were open to you bringing your own camp chairs or blanket. Lots of shade, had some cornhole boards and bags available, and the pop up from Light of Day Records was great - some old school jams that were loud enough to hear throughout the garden but not overpowering (still able to converse with friends at normal volume - they hit the balance perfectly for background music on this one!) Dog and kid friendly. Will be back!

Location is pretty solid but service leaves more to be desired. Beer lines are long, which is expected. Nevertheless, staff inefficiency leads to long wait times. Would recommend for the setting but service could be improved upon.

I've never been treated worst. I asked to use the bathroom, offered to buy a beer and food and sit down and I was refused service. I had a proper mask on, they had openings and I feel I was simply discriminated against and not allowed to use the bathroom. I couldn't be sure why the gentlemen refused me but he did take another couple with out a reservation right after me. It was beyond rude. Maybe he was having a bad day but that's not appropriate or acceptable. This should be reported. I'll go somewhere else from now on. Thanks for the friendly and frankly way out of Line service. I'll be sure to find a better craft brewer here in town from now on.

Bear beer quality and selection in Boston, comfortable atmosphere and good destination with another brewery and distillery nearby. Great crowd on weekends and not usually overpacked.