Porter Belly's Pub

Irish pub · Brighton

Porter Belly's Pub

Irish pub · Brighton

3

338 Washington St, Brighton, MA 02135

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Porter Belly's Pub by Terrence B. Doyle/Eater Boston
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null
Porter Belly's Pub by null

Highlights

Porter Belly’s is the perfect Brighton pub for sinking pints of Guinness while catching live music or the game in a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.  

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338 Washington St, Brighton, MA 02135 Get directions

porterbellyspub.com
@porterbellys

$

Information

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338 Washington St, Brighton, MA 02135 Get directions

+1 617 254 3300
porterbellyspub.com
@porterbellys

$

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dine in
takeout
wifi
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reservations

Last updated

Jul 6, 2025

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@eater

"Just around the corner from Irish Village sits Porter Belly’s, which is convenient if you’d like to sink another Guinness. The 25-year-old pub serves brunch, along with a dinner menu of New England classics like clam chowder and Guinness pot pie, as well as lighter fare like a quinoa bowl and a full lineup of classic pizzas." - Tanya Edwards, Terrence Doyle

Boston’s Best Irish Bars
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@eater

"Irish pubs are great for watching soccer. Porter Belly’s will be showing the games, and the Guinness will be flowing." - Terrence Doyle, Dana Hatic

Where to Watch the World Cup in Boston
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@eater

"While Porter Belly’s is more well-suited to soccer and rugby, it’s still an excellent bar at which to watch sports. A pint of Guinness and some bobsledding, anybody?" - Terrence Doyle

Where to Drink in Boston While Watching the Winter Olympics
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Andrew Huang

Google
I tried the Korean fried cauliflower, bacon cheeseburger egg rolls, ribeye steak tacos, and fish tacos. Food: The Korean fried cauliflower was delicious, fried with a sweet garlic soy sauce, served with some mild gochujang sauce on the side. If you're looking for something healthy or spicy, this probably won't be right for you. The bacon cheeseburger egg rolls order includes two rolls, each cut in half. It comes with comeback sauce on the side, which tasted like ketchup, mayo, and maybe a few other ingredients mixed together. The skin of the rolls had a nice light crisp. The rolls were absolutely delicious, at the cost of consuming a lot of grease. The tacos had generous portions of protein in them, but they weren't standouts to me. The tacos are made with cold soft flour shells, which I would have preferred heated. The steak also could have used a little more seasoning, but it does come with some very spicy habanero sauce on the side. The fish was the better option in my opinion. Each order is served with a side of rice and beans which was made perfectly fine. Service: Our server, Taylor, immediately greeted me as I walked in and was friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout our hour there. She checked in regularly despite being the only server and bartender for about five groups of diners on an early Tuesday evening. Overall: For a bar, their food was definitely above average. I wouldn't hesitate to return and try their other menu items.

Mobasshir Hasan

Google
Been to this cute Irish bar uncountable times and always have the best memories from here. The atmosphere on Monday is great with live music and Karaoke.

Tasha

Google
Cozy place. The food was tasty (we ordered a steak tips). The staff was very friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was also very nice. In general, we were pleased to visit this place🍺

Brendan M

Google
Went here for St. Paddy's. Didnt have to pay a cover. Good spot to go late at night if you don't want to have to go all the way to Downtown Boston for nightlife options

B O

Google
Porter Belly’s is one of my favorite pub in Boston. They have delicious food, awesome service, and a fun atmosphere. Mark the bartender is the man!

Joey Nowd

Google
The Monday night open mic hosted by Tim Ko is phenomenal! Any night of the week a great place to grab a pint and catch the game or music. 🍻🍺🍻🎶🎤

Rebecca Noymer

Google
Such a gem! Finally stopped by for cocktails and a light bite the other night and Porter Belly’s exceeded my expectations! Prices are extremely fair with generous portions and high quality ingredients. The atmosphere is so cozy and comfortable. Will definitely be back more often!

Lizzie G

Google
GET THE KOREAN CAULIFLOWER!!!!! Had the steak bites & they were delish!!!! Everything was so tasty and the service was top notch!!!!

Elaine T.

Yelp
Taylor was extremely friendly and helpful. So many good options. We enjoyed our food. The sweet potato fries were awesome. A local pub feel with bar and tables, was clean with nice decor and TV for sports.

Tessa L.

Yelp
4.5/5 Chicken Nachos 3.75/5 Dark and Stormy Came here late on a Tuesday night with a friend when there was torrential rain after dinner. Good place to meet up with friends for a drink or to watch a game. There are TVs throughout the place, not just at the bar. Will have to come back to catch a live music performance that they mentioned happens on Monday nights. The interior of the place has a cozy feel as the lighting of the place is on the dimmer side and has string lights. Service is standard like any other bar. You go in and seat yourself and go up to the bar when you're ready to order. I had a dark and stormy and chicken nachos. Would recommend the nachos. Good portion for the price! There's street parking outside that usually is available. Otherwise, the side streets have ample parking as well.

Connor B.

Yelp
Typical irish bar, good service and solid food. Poured a great Guinness! Would definitely go back if I was in the area

Jacob K.

Yelp
Service was great! The wait staff were very friendly! Food came out served hot and ready as we were on a time crunch being in the area for a quick bite before a concert at Roadhouse Boston. Saturdays special Brisket Sando + Dublin Sour were amazing! Will definitely recommend and go back when I'm in the area again!

Peter K.

Yelp
Exception staff, food, and one of the best Guinness pours in all of Boston. Also has an incredibly cozy interior with live music on the weekends. A true Irish pub outside of Ireland. I couldn't recommend more! A+

Amber S.

Yelp
Great Bar and great casual food ! My boyfriend and I came after a rough day for some casual quick food and a drink. We luckily got there right befor r the kitchen closed. Prices can vary I got the lobster roll for $25 but the crisp toasted bun and yummy lobster with side of coleslaw and fries was well worth it! My boyfriend got the bacon burger for $16 with fries which was pretty big. We got the bailey's Irish cream cheesecake a must try for anyone with a sweet tooth! Our server Greg was great he made sure to get our order in before the kitchen closed, was attentive making sure we enjoyed the food and asking if we needed anything as well as refills on our drinks. I got the Downeast cider, my boyfriend got a Guiness. There was plenty of seating and the staff and customers were friendly so we plan on returning soon! Highly recommend if you're looking for a chill bar.

Jim M.

Yelp
Best food in Brighton center (tho a lot of them have the same menu). Solid ambiance and kind staff.

Stephanie L.

Yelp
Have been many times over the years but this was our first time back in years. Not as good as it used to be. They should take pizza off their menu. Two of us got burgers and fries which were good but the third person with us got cheese pizza (which came out 15 minutes after we got our food). It was literally cheese pizza and that's it. No sauce on it, just cheese and crust! Are you kidding me? Did we have to specify sauce on a cheese pizza? And the cheese smelled like vomit. Definitely wasn't mozzarella. They should be ashamed for serving that.

Kim N.

Yelp
Delicious food, friendly staff, open mic on Mondays (with people who sound like they've been hired to play - a lot of regulars that are great musicians!) We love coming here and grabbing one of the small booths by the windows - those are perfect for a date night!

Ava W.

Yelp
It's not that bad just a really basic pub the fish and Chiapas where good and the perfect size. The hot chili oil noodles where not spicy at all which made me a bit sad. The pizza is below average and has no sauce. It's a really good restaurant if there's nothing else available.

Lydia M.

Yelp
Friendly employees, down to earth vibe with no frills. Perfect place for a beer and a bar stool

Sebastian P.

Yelp
awesome neighborhood pub with super friendly staff rotating specials menu so theres always something new to try good beer & cocktail selection some of my favs: buffalo wings sticky toffee pudding truffle sacchietti (get it with lobster its worth it) fisherman's pie (seasonal) oysters here are great wise guy pizza

Dante S.

Yelp
Standard Bar. Horrible Breakfast. I'd been to Porter Belly's Pub many times - at night. The bar is pretty standard for the area. Nothing great. A bit small and cramped - my wife gets anxious in environments like that, and I have felt the frustration of the bartenders and staff get taken out on the patrons because of this when the bar gets too crowded, but it was never too bad. The setup and decor of the bar is neat though, and I can't recall ever having a particularly bad night there. Breakfast, however, was a different story, and has ruined this place for me for good. Walked by with my wife one morning and saw that they were advertising brunch specials. We stopped in to see how it would be. We said we were there for breakfast. Waiter handed us a post-it note with some items handwritten on it. No descriptions. I ordered the steak and eggs "Breakfast Special". I don't know what I was thinking or what I was expecting, but all I got was 5 burnt to a crisp steak tips (ordered medium-rare), and 2 eggs that were cooked so long they could have been mistaken for hard-boiled (ordered over-easy)... and that's it too. No home-fries or toast or anything. Horrible portion of food, and horrible quality of food. Also - we asked for coffee, and it was taking a while for it to come out, and the waiter said "sorry about the wait on your coffee, chef forgot to plug the Kurig in. I just plugged it in now though, so it shouldn't take much longer..." I really didn't care much about the wait, but it felt weird being told that we were being served K-Cup coffee for breakfast. Maybe keep that to yourself next time, young man. - Scarnecchia

Riley M.

Yelp
This was our first date night out since March- we had so much fun! Casey was a great waitress and we really enjoyed the food:) we had some special requests and asked for things on the side and they were very accommodating- and fast!! We loved the music on the patio!! We felt very safe there- COVID-19 precautions were definitely taken.

Jonathan C.

Yelp
4.5 stars I've always liked food here, the beer selection and drink specials are ample, and employees are super friendly. The fried pretzel is very tasty. One of the better pubs in Boston. I'll be back.

Andrea S.

Yelp
This place is the coziest spot for drinks with friends. The tater tots are yummy and have a great variety for those with a gluten sensitivity or are vegan or vegetarian. I can't wait to grab a cider here in the fall, I wiill definitely be coming back (the music was also good + a good amount of TVs for football season)

Christine C.

Yelp
This is hands down my favorite Irish Pub in Brighton. This place has an incredible atmosphere and insanely good food. This is a great spot morning, noon, or night. My favorite thing here is probably the full Irish breakfast. Everything on the plate is perfect (even the bread they use for the toast). I have come over and over just for that breakfast. They make a nice mimosa to go with it too. They also have a great appetizer and dinner menu. The hot wings are probably the hottest wings I've ever had, but they are so good. I also really love the mac and cheese, parmesan fries, and fried pretzel with jalapeño cheese filling. This place is the real deal. It feels like you're in a pub in Dublin. They have nights with live Irish music. The crowd of regulars is really fun. And anytime there's a hurling match or gaelic football the pub fills with people. If you like awesome Irish pub food, this is the place to be.

Jennifer L.

Yelp
I wish I could give this place zero stars. The clientele was absolutely atrocious. Starting numerous fights, calling the doorman homophobic slurs/threatening to "murder him", and calling unrelated women in the crowd numerous unprovoked curse words. This entire time, their two inept women bartenders supported the mass crowd because they were "regulars". They did nothing to help their employees nor the other patrons who were trying to enjoy their night. When I tried to get help, the one particularly brutal bartender shouted back to me "don't you try and tell me what to do". I can't believe a place like this is allowed to operate in the city of Boston. Disgusting. Good luck.

Eliza G.

Yelp
Food and drinks were good. Staff is friendly and attentive. Entrees are a little pricier but that's normal for the area and the portions are quite large.

Charlie R.

Yelp
Food and beer selection is amazing. Small bar and slightly under staffed, but luckily we got there at the perfect time before the rush. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE CUBAN SANDWHICH!

Chris M.

Yelp
It's a really decent Irish Pub. Some of the bartenders are off the boat and the rest are just plain friendly. I truly love a good beer and whiskey but have never actually had a drop here. I come for lunch when I can get away for a bit. I may very well be in love with their Chicken Curry and Fries. Hand cut steroid sized fries with really tasty Curry, makes for a bit of a stomach issued work day but I would eat this a few times a week if I lived in Boston. I do struggle with beer prices in Boston and I know that we are spoiled in Michigan with quality and price but one of these days I'll have a proper drink here.

Jen S.

Yelp
This is a traditional after-work hangout. The bartenders and servers know us and take care of us well. They have the best fries (or chips, depending on where you're from) and the best nachos in the history of Boston Irish Pubs. My co workers have a love affair with the curry sauce that comes with the fries, but I am not a curry person, sooo I am not the Biggest Fan. I'll eat their nachos every day of the friggen week though. In fact, thinking about them makes me want some RIGHT NOW. I've also had their keilbasa appetizer (or whatever it is)- and that was pretty good too! Their quesadillas are also not so bad. Nachos. Those are the best. Wait, did I comment on how great their nachos are? Now if you go (never having been to PBelly's before) and get these heavenly corn chips of joy topped with blissfully magically delicious cheese and then you end up HATING IT- OMG. That's not my problem, nor is it my lack of taste. It's YOUR problem. And then you can just go eat nachos made with goopy gross velvetta that you get at high school basketball games. Yeah. :) You can ask for pitchers of margaritas and sangria and they taste great, despite being made as a pitcher! I've only had dinner there once- a burger. Not so bad. I'll stick to nachos and fries (or chips!). And possibly a chicken quesadilla. It gets crowded, and sometimes people play crappy songs on the juke box. But it will always be my most favorite After Work hangout EVER.

Andy A.

Yelp
Came last week at 6 pm because they had a private party that was to be over at 6. Nope. Called at 630. Still.not open. Came at 730 and was told by the bartender, the kitchen was closed. So, fast-forward a week and came in at 915 Sunday evening and again was told at the door the kitchen was closed. This time I brought 6 ppl. The website says kitchen open.till 10pm..... Doubtful any of us will be back... Apparently food isn't their thing .....go one block any direction for great food. I guess only come here if your into sausage party drinking.....

Michelle D.

Yelp
One weekday lunch at Porter Belly's tells me all I need to know. Perhaps the Guinness is a great pour, perhaps this rumored live music night is outstanding, perhaps it's the favorite hang of a certain Brighton subculture that overlooks all the negative because all their friends are around. Look, I get it. In college my friends and I "owned" one of the crappiest pubs in a blighted New York suburb that today you'd have to pay me to step foot into, let alone drink from one of the glasses. A friend and I met up for lunch at Porter Belly's on a summer Tuesday. At noon there was no one seated at any table, though the bar was holding up a rowdy group of men who appeared to have nothing else to do during a work day. They were drinking and watching a game on TV, hooting a little too loud when somebody did something clever with a ball. The good: my Porter Belly Salad was very nice, loaded with tasty roasted mushrooms, tomatoes, and big chunks of grilled red onion, dressed in a tangy olive oil & lime dressing. It comes topped with filet mignon tips, which I requested, and got, rare. It was delicious. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich and fries, she said it was good. The bad: -- No unsweetened iced tea. Sweetened only. -- No coffee. NO COFFEE. Guys, seriously, set up a Keurig and stock some basic dark roast and decaf K-cups. This no-coffee thing is surely an embarrassment, isn't it? -- Snippy waitress provided decent but terse service. No warmth nor welcome whatsoever, which she either doesn't realize makes a diner feel like a problem instead of a customer, or else she just doesn't give a hoot. I can get a good salad with steak on top anywhere, including next door at Esperia, so I think I'm all set with Porter Belly's.

Ivan H.

Yelp
Good atmosphere, creative design, but too small hall, pretty friendly staff, but cuisine 50/50.

Perri V.

Yelp
I didn't come here to eat, so I can't speak to that, but it is a great spot to meet up for drinks. There are lots of little nooks if you are hoping for a more private space, but if you're out with a bunch of people, there's still enough room for a larger group. The beer selection is a little disappointing, but other than that it's a pretty good place.

Thomas T.

Yelp
Best spot in Brighton! Great food and service! Casey is a great bartender. If you are looking for a great Irish bar. Look no further...

keith l.

Yelp
I wish someone had punched me in the junk right before I walked in here, so then I had to go the dick hospital instead of eating here. It took an hour to get a burger and a buffalo chicken wrap, in an empty pub. Server stood around chatting with the other servers and the kitchen staff while we waited. And waited. No apology or explanation for the long wait when the food arrived. Don't worry, my burger was lukewarm with burnt bacon and my date's wrap was drowned in blue cheese dressing. Consider this review me punching you in the crotch. You're welcome.

Melanie D.

Yelp
This place lost its cool for me when they took down the photo of Shane MacGowan ogling the tits of an ex-waitress there and redesigned it to look like an Irish pub theme park to better attract the college kiddies. A'course, the old local color got shown the door, or moved elsewhere in the change, too. There should not be a dance night here. Ever. The sick thing was this place WAS an authentic Irish pub in the first place. That being said, the bartenders are still old-school cool, and if you get there early, it's great to sit in the snug and have a good convo. Just be on yer way by 8 before it gets overrun and loud.

Meg S.

Yelp
Maybe it's just the people that I go with, but I've never had a bad time at this bar. The atmosphere is...different, it's always decorated really fun and the staff is great (Sean, specifically). There is constantly something going on- Sunday Kareoke (the DJ can be kind of a jerk when he won't let you sing Wilson Philips at 1:30am, but hey! there's always next time!), Wednesday Open Mic, tons of great local bands. .. The front room is cozy if you are there with a bunch of people, but the bar is fun if you go with a few. The dart board is a little challenging as half of your darts either bounce back or fall out by the time you can count them- but it only makes for an interesting game! Alright, so it's not the classiest place in Boston, but for us, it's always a good time! PS- http://jumpforalzheimers.com/ Let's jump!

Justine K.

Yelp
I have to share that this is my absolute favorite bar in or near the city! I prefer the atmosphere during the week more than say Friday or Saturday night. Week nights are less crowded, you can always find a seat and every single person who works there is fabulous! They have TVs and play not just baseball and American footbal, but Gaelic footbal and all the rest... Cozy, casual and relaxed. The best place to go after work to meet friends and unwind/watch a game on one of the tv's. Friendly customers who can always make you smile. Entertainment venue Thursday through Sunday with great live bands. Definately my favorite bar in or near the city!

Sam O.

Yelp
My favorite pub in Brighton. The Thanksgiving sandwich is perfect. The black bean quesadillas are addicting. The Buffalo chicken Mac n cheese is creamy and delicious. Definitely get the Buffalo chicken Mac n cheese. The drinks are cheap and strong. One of the best places to go before a Red Sox game. Nice long bar. Great dining room. Casual and comfortable. The bartenders are great and the cook clearly knows what he's doing. Enjoy! Will be back many more times.

Jillian Y.

Yelp
Sunday night at Porter Belly's is like a magical karaoke portal. Seriously - the first five singers I saw were all unbelievable. Far better than anyone on American Idol. It was like Brighton's Most Talented. Minus one star for all of the regulars who kept trying to booze me up despite the fact that I said, firmly, that I was on Diet Coke for the night. I get the sense that happens frequently.

Sam S.

Yelp
Yes, the guys here can be creeps, but the music scene is good, tvs were great for the sox, and the bartenders are chill. i live around the corner so its a convenient place to hang out. I didn't realize they serve food, I will hopefully hit them up for brunch one day soon.

Josie G.

Yelp
We decided to venture away from Allston one night, and came upon Porter Belly's. Although we only stayed for a single beer and shot, we enjoyed the band that was playing and had a good dance off. It was a fun time.. A little bit of an older crowd that Saturday night.

Lauren G.

Yelp
This review is just for food, not nightlife which may be great. Just came in for brunch/lunch at noon on a Saturday with 4 friends. Yelp listed a brunch menu but when we arrived we were told that they don't do breakfast or brunch. Maybe just Sundays? We ordered Bloody Mary's, two vodka one bourbon. I don't drink them but my friends said they were bland and the olives were bad. We were told they were also out of coffee. One person ordered the Irish hot chocolate and did say it was good. We chose to leave and go somewhere else for food.

Emily L.

Yelp
My favorite bar in Boston! I started coming here about a year ago and absolutely love it. The drinks are stiff, pitchers are cheap, and the service is quick. I never wait more than a minute for a drink. The staff is super nice, especially the owner Sean, he's a super cool dude with an awesome sense of humor. They have live music everyday except tuesday. Sunday is karaoke... most of the singers have awesome voices!!. The best part about Porter Belly's is the friendly clientelle. You can come in 3 times and know everyone in the "Porter Belly's family". Also, try the burgers and chicken quesadilla. delish.

Laura D.

Yelp
This was actually my third time to Porter Bellies and I have to say they seem to have a communication issue. If it where not for the nice decor and cleanliness I would have given up on them months ago. But I keep holding out for them to be better and well they are just ok. With so many bars within walking distance they never have and never will be my go to place. Sorry Porter Belly's! First time here: 2 PM. Outside sign says come in for lunch. We go in sit down order drinks and find out the kitchen is closed. Bummer it looked cute. Second time here: Sign outside. Come in for brunch. We go in. No brunch we got chicken wings which where horrible. The place also smelled like bleach so strongly I wanted to vomit. Third time here NYE 2011. Despite their failures I wanted to give them a chance. For 15 bucks their website and signs outside and inside said appetizers, live band, favors and champagne toast. So I figured what the hell lets do it. We can walk home drunk and it will be good. I bought the tickets in advance. The bar tender with his Irish accent assured me it would be awesome, told me some about the band, and said be here at 8 when we open so you can reserve a table. I was pleased and excited. So 8 PM we arrived. The doors where unlocked, we went in and a super bitchy bartender said " get out come back at 9 we are not open". One change your damn sign outside, two educate the staff and really would it have killed her to let us hang and chat? I did mention the other bartender said 8 and she said no he never would have said that. So we went to Joeys to kill some time and it was pretty awesome but back to Porter Belly's. We came back at 9. No apps, the party favors where fun, we got the little cubby area by the door which was awesome. We had our own tv and private window to order drinks. Not to shabby. The band was a decent cover band and we had a blast. I am really just sick and tired of Porter Belly's flyers, signs and staff saying one thing and doing another. It is bad deceptive marketing. I also could have used a few nasty chicken wings since we did not eat much for dinner and where expecting snacks. As a result I was really, really hung over. Porter Belly's if you want my business get rid of the bitchy bartender and get your act together. When me and 7 of my friends go out, drop some serious dough on booze we expect to at least be treated with a smile.

Lisa O.

Yelp
Porter Belly's is the perfect neighborhood pub. It's small and cozy, there's Magner's on tap, the bartenders are a little gruff on the outside but not assholes. The food is decent, and there's that adorable little snug when you walk in. Porter Belly's is also virtually unknown as an afternoon destination, but seriously. I've grabbed my books, ordered a beer and some fries, and spent a few lovely weekday afternoons getting my study on. It's pretty perfect.

Amanda G.

Yelp
This is strictly a food review. Thanks to Groupon I checked it out for an afterwork bite and well, thanks to Groupon I have another place to avoid... One of us order steak tips, med-well and it came with gravy, mashed potatoes and "fresh vegetables." The steak tips came out RARE, like dark red/purple cold in the middle, rare. The gravy and mashed potatoes were fine, nothing memorable and the fresh vegetables were.... undercooked, unseasoned carrots? The other ordered a veggie burger, topped with mushrooms, onions and cheese. It came with fries and when we asked the waitress if we could get something else, she said.. well.. no. Okayyyyy, so the veggie burger came out and it seemed like it was an attempt at a homemade burger. That being said, it was full of whole (what I think was) edamame, and it kept falling apart. The mushrooms and onions on top of the burger were burnt to a crisp and the cheese wasnt melted. The fries were alright. Avoid the food here and stick to the beers on tap.

Wendy K.

Yelp
I was at Porter Belly's to support a friend whose band was playing last night. We arrived early at the suggestion of my friend, as we knew it would get busy, fast, and got a lovely table in a cozy alcove. The service left something to be desired, but the waitress had a cute Irish accent, which made everything okay somehow. We ordered the nachos, which were good despite a cheese shortage, and beer (they still had Pumpkinhead, which I thought was fantastic, but which my boyfriend thinks is questionable), and didn't wait long before our meals came. My friend ordered a special - porkchops and homemade sausage with mashed potatoes. Everything in her meal tasted great, particularly the sausage, and it was an enormous amount of food for my petite friend. The rest of us ordered burgers, and though they tasted good, the kitchen needs some extra training on what the various levels of cookedness should look like. Now, I like a medium rare burger, and I expect that the professional cooks behind closed doors know what that means. The person cooking it should have a system to decide when the burger has been cooked appropriately. The short version is that I ordered mine medium rare, and it was rare - like RAW and MOOING - so I sent it back. The replacement burger was well done. Hmm... A friend ordered hers medium, and it was medium rare, and another friend ordered hers well done and it was medium. After our meal was over, we ordered drinks from the bar, and the bartenders were attentive and made good, strong drinks. The place got really really crowded and was definitely a d-bag sort of crowd, but my friend's band rocked and we had a good time, all in all. I'd give it another chance.

Colin B.

Yelp
Favorite place in the neighborhood to grab a drink. Has a great atmosphere and the beers aren't crazy expensive. They always have specials (Rolling Rock, 5 for $10 and 'Ganset buckets are cheap too) and a good selection of craft beers for around $5 each. Open Mic night on Wednesday's can be cool but it's also a small place, so it sometimes gets loud. Haven't had their food other than the free apps they handed out during the NBA finals in the spring. Not bad, especially since they were free. Also, their kitchen closes a bit early, but they allow you to go and get food and bring it back in. We ordered a pizza from Imperial across the street and enjoyed our pizza while having some beers.

Dave R.

Yelp
I've never felt so compelled to write a Yelp review. Went here for "Traditional Irish Breakfast" on 3/17. First off, if you're going to make a habit of selling breakfast, consider having coffee. No coffee, tea only. Now, the breakfast... Let me start by saying I've enjoyed an Irish breakfast at several other locations around Boston and this was quite disappointing. Let's start with the brown bread... There is no brown bread. You get toast. Ok, here are your options of toast: white. Here are your options of jam for your toast: butter. The home fries are your basic run-of-the-mill, probably frozen, uninspired and unseasoned steak French fries. The bangers seemed like your basic breakfast links. The rashers were ok. Nothing spectacular. A little dry and bland The fried tomato was ... Absent. The baked beans were poured out amorphously upon the plate and mediocre. The black and white pudding looked sad... One small piece of black and one disturbing-looking piece of white. They tasted so-so, perhaps a little over-burdened with sodium. The eggs were cooked well, over easy. Though for two eggs, I only had one yoke (?). I was able to have a bloody PBR. I was presented a glass of PBR and a glass of Mary mix to mix myself. Which is ok since they'd never heard of one before. Their Mary mix was ok, a little light on the spice and horseradish. The Guinness was a good pour and creamy. The service was ... Present. The four top got their full compliment of food before the two of us did, after arriving a good 10-15 minutes after us. The waitress did apologize for that though. Overall, I wouldn't return. The Irish Breakfast was pretty much just breakfast, and not even a very good one. There are much better Irish breakfasts to be had in and around Boston.

Kristine F.

Yelp
First, It is hard to rank the several points that appeal to me of Porter Bellys, so in no particular order... The variation depending on the evening you head out there, especially with regard to music options. Open mic nights on wednesdays, emerging solo and acoustic band evenings on thursdays, and even Karaoke on Sunday nights. The staff are superb. Always attentive and hospitable. Not to mention the wonderfully wide variety of beverages and food (particularly sandwiches) that they serve you. Typically a modest crowd shows, but that does seem to change with the weekends. Weekday nights are key, but weekend evenings are also a treat. AND- televesions galore. Let's go Sox! Second, just get out there and check it out. Right in the middle of convenient Brighton Center, it beats just about any pub that Allston has to offer!

Maggy E.

Yelp
This has got to be the BEST Irish pub in boston! We absolutely love the food here! I know they aren't a craft beer establishment, but adding a couple more crafty selections would push this place to five stars. It's adorable. Quaint. IRISH! Local.

Sarah S.

Yelp
I've been here a couple times... i've never eaten here, so this is just based on beers and ambiance: Pros - open mic night is cool, beers are super cheap if you get a bucket (5 rolling rocks for $10), hasn't been too packed, think the music playing was OK, location is very convenient, good for a quiet drink with friends Cons - i drank rolling rock and narragansett here. why do i degrade myself like this to save a buck....?

Rebecca Y.

Yelp
Everytime I walk into this bar, I turn around and walk out. It's always very popular, but it is either too crowded or too noisy for my taste.

Billie M.

Yelp
I have never eaten here (although I have drunk-drooled over others' sandwiches, which in my defense, look VERY yummy). However, I have done the drink-dance duo here, and I must say, I loved every second of it. If you stop by in the late afternoon/early evening for a few drinks, this small bar is appropriately busy so you don't feel like a drunk, but slow enough that you can get a speedy pint and pleasant service. At night they have different bands so that you can recreate your Pearl Jam angst in public (since doing it in private is creepy). Plus there are trees inside. Which is cool. All in all, this bar is similar to the Burren (or at least what the Burren could be), but it's not crowded. And it's not annoying. And I like it.

Erik O.

Yelp
Let me start by saying i want to go back. and the rating may go up. (it was my first time there) The service was outstanding. The abidance was cool too, very rustic, cozy Irish pub feeling. and they had a great dinner deal. ($30 = a bottle of wine and two entrees) That being said, i was a little disappointed in my food. its wasn;t bad, just nothing to write home about. i go the Penne pasta with read sauce, sausage and meat balls with garlic bread. it was decent. the gf got some sort of grilled veggie thing, that she enjoyed, but wasn;t astounded by. The wine wasn't bad. as we where leaving a band was setting up, i think it was a johnny cash cover band. if we didn't have plans to go to the movies after, i would have loved to hang at the bar and soak up the music. i'll def be back at some point.

Ryan G.

Yelp
Cozy Irish pub environment. I'd choose the Green Briar over Porter Belly's, but if you are looking for more of a greasier pub fare type of place (Mac and cheese bites, buffalo wings) then this is a place to go. Some TVs if you want to watch a game.