Worthen House Cafe

We had a little time while attending an event to walk and grab something quick for lunch. So, we popped into this very historic looking establishment. They were very friendly and seated us immediately. They had tons to choose from but we decided on a few hot dogs, Cole slaw, and some lemonade. Everything was very good and we enjoyed our visit.

Always the greatest. This place is historic and a genuine taste of Lowell. Parking lot right across the street.

Stopped in for a hamburger and beer. Bar tender April made you feel welcome. Parking is easy with their own parking lot right across the street.

Worthen House Cafe is one of our fav spot for drinks and food. It is a neighborhood bar with a distinctive decoration. What do I like about it? I love the pulley ceiling fans, its history as a bar since 1898 and during prohibition and also a fav handout of Jack Karouac. We like to play Keno and have a couple of drinks. Their drinks are very reasonable and their food is outstanding. Their staff is attentive and friendly. They will be featured in the American Best Restaurant TV program.

Cool atmosphere! I really like coming here with my friends to kick back and relax. Drinks are a little pricey (imo - but college kids like me are always broke, so take my opinion with a grain of salt). Hostesses have always been super kind and the wait time for drinks isn't too long. Food is pretty good, too! Will definitely come back, the Worthen has been a fun place to hangout.

Racist bartender put me out for resting my head on my arms( I am literally just getting over the flu). When I approached her completely coherently she said “ it was their policy” to kick people out who appeared to be ‘asleep’., then asked me DO YOU UNDERSTAND?? as if I was an idiot. There were many people obviously intoxicated but I was completely unacceptable for some reason. The tall (white) black haired girl with the tattoos. I don’t recommend.

Typical American bar with attentive service and fun drinks. Bonus that dogs are allowed at the outdoor seats.

I'm new here and The Worthen is quickly my go-to fav. All the comfort food, flat-screen sports, KENO, the juke or live, history, stellar wait staff, and best ... all your bros! I had the bacon-cheeseburger (in paradise), and the very finest in liquid refreshment. SO good you're torn between tellin' yer bro, "This is so awesome, I'll share half with you!" -&- "be careful, I might bite yer arm off if you mess wid dat!!" They cook-it-up right in front of you. Welcome to Lowell !!

Worthen was so worth the hype. It's a small hole in the wall spot that packs a ton of fun and ambiance. The food is incredible, my husband and I got the craic chicken panini and my father in law said his burger was the best he's had in a long time. To top it off, service was friendly and quick despite the place being packed. Will definitely return.

Place sucks. Food awful. St pattys day corn beef dinner tastless. Cabbage soggy lots of grease

Well, after my last review please see the threatening message that I got from an "Unknown caller" at 12:33 am last night. This is why I would never recommend this pub to anyone. My life was threatened because people do not like the truth of the atmosphere. I just stated what I saw about the service and the people that evening. My life was threatened because I told the truth about the local watering hole. People get angry with the truth. You can fill in the blanks accordingly.

Went to the Worthen with friends to catch up. Local dive bar, that has felt hostile the past few months. The "regulars" if that's what you want to call them seemed rude, drunk and short tempered. Catching up with old classmates was nice but the staff wasn't. The older crowd was offensive and tanked. Would not recommend. A friend wanted to go there because you can smoke outside. Totally not worth it. Beer was cheep and drinks were strong. Usually a good thing but we all had to drive to our parents and ended up Ubering home. The older crowd, acted like rude zombies. Should have went to the Shamrock. It is definitely a place where the locals go to drown their sorrows. People were over served and obnoxious. The trash doesn't take itself out. Surprised that the bartenders Dont shut people off. Walking zombies leaving.

Wonderful atmosphere. Great service. Great food. And priced right. Love it here. Always a good place to meet friends.

Cool old fashioned cafe. Have really Cool antique fans on the ceiling that use to be steam powered, the only working ones left in the country I believe. They will turn them on if you ask. Quaint little place, cool bar and atmosphere. Good typical pub food. Their pastrami sandwich was really good. Definitely will come back if in the area.

Such a fun place for lunch, dinner or just drinks with a bunch of friends or just catching up. I tried their draft beer 1898 Worthen NE IPA and had their famous burger "The Worthen" cooked to perfection and service was very good. So much history here you just have to come and check it out for yourself. Definitely coming back!

Kelsey is a lil scary because she has scorpions on her stomach but she's still pretty cool I guess

Great building go for the history, but not the food. The regulars get loaded and loud early and all day long at the bar. Too bad, it could be a great place.

The restaurant is dark and full of antique decorations. Quite atmospheric. We were there for lunch. Our meals were terrific and served promptly. The Worthen House has a lot of history and the food was good. It is close to the NPS visitor's center.

Historic. Jack Kerouac hangout. The building and the interior original and unrestored. Food is excellent and a fun, friendly crowd.

My favorite place to eat and hang out in Lowell The food is always absolutely delicious! ( Steak and cheese wrap) The place is very clean and the staff is great !

This place is fantastic! Friendly and attentive service, GREAT burgers, and fiddlehead on draft!!! I look forward to seeing live music here. This will soon become my local!

Good food. Fast service even in busy times. Polite staff and helpful. Full bar also available.

I love this pub. The food is great. The people who work here are great. I have been coming for year.

Oldest "hole in the wall" in Lowell. People are nice and the food is very good. Should try it!

At first glance Worthen House Cafe reminds of any dive bar, dark and cool, however; this did not detract from the quality of the food. We all ordered the crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with sweet potato fries for lunch. The sandwich was topped lightly with buffalo sauce and blue cheese. Bacon, cheddar, lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes were available to add. The fries were crispy. Despite being at a "dive", the restaurant was clean and comfortable. As a caveat, do not go if you are looking for a quick bite. Although the service was commendatory, there was only one server/bartender and the kitchen was small. Would recommend to anyone looking for inexpensive bar food in a low key atmosphere.

Sooo much history. Just keep looking all around you, and read the Wikipedia page - fascinating place that has really held on to interesting details from the past. Beers were served in delightfully frosty mugs. Wings and fries were excellent. The oldest bar in Lowell does not disappoint!

My fiancé was waiting for my uncle and I to come out of the bathroom after last call and the bartender and bouncer were harassing him to leave...even though he was just making sure we knew he was there to make sure we were safe and know he was there...he wasn't causing any harm to anyone or being roudy. very disapointed to hear they were not pleasant to deal with when leaving

A great place to get together w/ friends. Food & drinks are reasonable. Keno, live music. What I like so much is the fact I've never seen the 20's group of kids which are loud & obnoxious like when they leave the Blue Shamrock on wk-ends. I live close by

I loved this place It is a gem!!!! I grew up in an old industrial city where there were bars like this on every corner just not as old Beer was reasonable cold with a frosted mug. The homemade chips were good. The belt driven fans were really cool along with the bar abandoned decor Many would call this a dive bar I would call it home Knowing Kerouac frequented the place was a big plus for me and the ambiance If you are in Lowell stop in for a beer

Woo hoo! What a great dive bar. I can't believe it took me so long to visit here. I love it. Just sit back and have a beer the way old Jack Kerouac would! Don't drink to get drunk, drink to enjoy life! ~JK

Federal landmark. Industrial revolution time capsule. Perfectly Lowell place to eat, drink, AND be merry. Come for the keno, scratchies, & pull tabs. Stay for the egg-rolls, crazy fries, & jello shots. James' egg-rolls are absolute fire & Sofia or someone will gladly serve you til ur Uber arrives. Get drunk, be safe, peace out.

Dive bars are not supposed to please you. They are like coral reefs. They exist and grow from the faceless ground up bones of those that came before that sank as detritus into the abyss of time. A million uncaring beers mixed with the tears of joy/grief and the tongue tied cherry stems of one night stands passed over that bar top for a century and a half. Dark, dirty, and dilapidated? Yup. Could a couple, of yester year, have engaged in carnal congress in the bathroom and subsequently have their progeny fight in the American civil war? Also yup. Could said soldier be transported forward through time to present day and sans the alien attire, music, and pocket computers recognize ever square inch of the joint? A tertiary and final yup. Dive bars don't exist for the populace of a community. They exist despite them. The Worthen is Lowell's. You're fucking welcome.

Great historic bar. They do not take credit cards which sucks but they do have an ATM. The streak tips were very good, although I will order 'medium' rather than med well. Our waitress was very friendly and professional & new her product. They also have a loyalty rewards program.

Stopped in on July 3rd and the kitchen was closed. The place is very funky and cool. Ask to see the prohibition cupboard. We will be back to try again!

I love the Worthen very much. I don't know why. The place is filthy, the bathrooms are pretty grody and it can get wicked loud in there. Regardless, every time I go there I stay until almost 2am and have the time of my life. Definitely not the place for you if you don't like strangers. Part of the fun is "talking" to your fellow drinkers. You just don't do that in Boston, unfortunately. You don't just hit the ladies' room to pee, you hit the ladies' room to make fast friends. My perfect evening out involves a [dozen] High Life, the Worthen, and putting $10 into the internet jukebox. Also, I found that hitting the Worthen in a wedding dress gets you free beers. Just an FYI.

Oh Worthen house, you have given me many good times. This place is great, it is a total Dive bar, but it is completely self aware of that. You go to this place to drink, play the lotto, and stand around and talk. The bartenders are friendly and quick. There's a questionable 'kitchen' which I think you can order food.... but I wouldn't recommend it. If you go, bring a group of friend and some cash. I don't think they do tabs and I am pretty sure they don't take plastic. If you grew up in the area, chances are you'll run into someone from your home town. I recommend grabbing a seat at the bar, and just drink the night away. If you are a smoker there's a decent size outside are so you can light up. On the weekends the upstairs opens up, its kind of weird you feel like you are drinking in someone's attic bar.

This place is a dive bar...great, old neighborhood feeling and damn, this is exactly what I like about dive bars. Cheap beer, interesting people watching, questionable cleanliness...no pretense, all honest, good old American dive bar. I will be back!

Made the trip to come up to this place and it was well worth it! Not many places can be called a gem in my book. This is one of them. The place has that cozy old time bar feel and look. There is true character in this place and I can see why they have so many regulars. It has a nice wood bar in front of the bar top itself. Most places I've been to that have these use brass which is cold and uncomfortable. Wood is the place to go. They also have a display for their old prohibition panel they used during that era. So classy that they didn't get rid of it. Nice to see they keep their history alive. The bartender was more than attentive and kept the beer flowing. And one of the older bar keeps has the best stories about the place. Great selection of beers here and even some hards you don't see in many places. This is refreshing as you're not stuck with the same as everywhere else. This place is definitely a must return. Anytime you're in Lowell hit this place up. You'll thank me.

My short experience here was backlit outside by a green light. It illuminated the many mechanical fish lips and slinky, stilted merpeople gliding back and forth. Inexpensive. Theatrical. Seedy. Diverse. Four stars!

I took my 2 kids there for lunch because I read the food was good and kid friendly menu. The food and service were good, but the guys'll hanging out at the bar (at 1:30 pm) were loud and obnoxious. I wouldn't recommend bringing your family unless you want to hear lots of loud swearing and rambling while you eat. The ambience was cozy, but the bar flies ruin the experience.

History here, went on a holiday, decent beer selection, only a few patrons but I will be back, I love the atmosphere

Great Dive Bar! Drinks are cheap and they have Keno! They could use bigger TVs but the atmosphere is casual and relaxed.

This is my kind of "hole in the wall" with a ton of character. Being from out of town, this is a great place to feel surrounded by the Boston culture. Only a few ppl here on a Sunday night and the Celtics game is on, everyone's talking about their Ash Wednesday plans and St. Patrick Day plans in the same sentence. I feel a sense of home here with fellow Catholics at the local bar.

Amazing place to have a drink and have conversation with great people. First time to the city, once I come back I will stop by this place again for sure. Cheers to the Bartender, she is beautiful and to everyone one here

I've gone to this place over the years. Back in the 80's Wang Labs employees would go there and I was one of them. Kerouac aficionados I guess. Went there today and place is the same. BUT - to my surprise and me with no cash and cards not accepted - well I had to use their in house "rip off ATM"". $2.50 surcharge and then a fee from my bank for $1.25? $3.75 surcharge to pay for a couple of beers and chick wings (about $12.00) Would have gladly left that as a tip for April the bartender who was great but owners too cheep to pay approx. 10 cent swipe fee?! Maybe I'm too cheap? I don't know but times are tough.

My used-to-be favorite bar in Lowell. The last few times I've been there they have made changes I don't approve of. The upstairs wall used to be covered with Beat newspaper clippings...now replaced with fresh paint. They started ladies night but no proper Lady I know would ever go here. It still has a lovely layer of filth covering everything but it's just not the same dive bar it used to be. Still, if you make a pilgrimage to Lowell, it is a must see.

I have no idea why I love the Worthen, but I do. If you go in there at 4pm on a weekend you'll run into dudes who are drunk enough to have been kicked out of most bars hours ago. My Mom went there 40 years ago, I've been going there for 10 years. The beer is cold and cheap. There's a little patio if you want to get drunk and smoke butts outside. There's a parking lot with a creepy mural with nuns that I love. Of course there are the fans. It's funny, Deep Ellum (or maybe their new taco place? I forget) in Boston recently put in a fan system that is just like the Worthen's, except not 150 years old. You can't fake the funk though, the Worthen is the real deal.

Take a moment to read this excerpt, taken from the website, www.worthenhousecafe.com. Welcome to The Worthen House, established in 1898 and serving as a tavern ever since. The building, a traditional mid-nineteenth century vernacular survivor from Lowell's Mill City development, was built in 1834. Much of our present interior remains, most notably the belt-linked fan system, which is the only existing set in its original building in the country. The pressed tin ceiling and the late nineteenth century bar along with the intricate woodwork behind the bar, are all from the building's transformation into the Worthen House in 1898. A few notable patrons are said to have included Edgar Allan Poe, Jack Kerouac, and Jimmy Breslin. In 1989, "Lowell's Oldest," which is on the National Register of Historic Places and located in the heart of the National Historical Park, was restored. Sounds pretty neat, right? In its own way, it is. The old fan system, the hidden liquor storage in the wall, the tin ceiling. I guess The Worthen could be compared to old bars and pubs in Downtown Boston, the Chart House on Long Wharf or the Union Oyster House. A boston girl at heart, I have to admit that the Worthen is very different than the historic Boston bar scene. Granted, having been to the Worthen a total of, I don't know, like 2 or 3 times, I still have to digest it some more. From what I gather, people in Dracut, Lowell and the surrounding area seem to think that the Worthen is some God-like place. Then again, I'm a net promoter for all things Boston. True, it is in the center of Lowell, down the street from City Hall, surrounded by other historic establishments, all of different measure. But, the thing that most intrigues me about the Worthen is the night life. When you enter the Worthen, yes, you are taking a step back in time which is pretty freaking cool. Then after you have taken a look around and have grabbed a beer, you head up the narrow staircase (remember, this place is old) to where the local bands are playing, pay the $5 cover to the guy who looks like Belushi's Samurai and discover that there is yet another bar on location (score). Because really, who wants to walk down that flight of stairs to keep getting more beer? It will then only be a matter of time before you fall down the narrow staircase giving yourself a broken arm, cracked collar bone, various bumps and bruises and not to mention a wicked headache. My last trip to the Worthen was interesting. It was right after Christmas and just before New Years. If there ever was a motley crew, the Worthen crowd would be it. College students home for the holiday break, meeting up with friends over a few beers and feeding off everyones gossip. Of course, this includes jocks (cause everyone loves to hate jocks) decked in Abercrombie and girly girls with Uggs (again, everyone loves to hate em). Druggies and stoners who have coke and God knows what else, practically written on their face. Ozzy-obsessed rockers who have seen better days or have yet to see a better day, are chumming up to the house band players because they think they are something special and it is the closest they will ever get to being a groupie. Artsy, troubled individuals who are still trying to find themselves and exude the "I am so bored I could totally be doing something else right now" attitude. Or, the artsy individual swimming in patchulli with their greasy dreads pulled back into a big greasy dread ball on the top of their heads who are jamming out to the music but find themselves moving in slow motion because at every second of the day they are totally tuned in with Mother Earth. Skater boys with army caps and interesting tattoos, chilling back with a Pabst who are probably really good in bed. Girls stuck in the 80s and guys stuck in the 90s, but with a weird 2007 flair to them. And finally, the average schmoes with a decent job, moving up in their lives but yet are hanging on to what their earlier years had supplied them with. The girly girls are eyeing the skater boys who could give two shits about their Uggs and have no problem admitting the fact that these girls are worthless to them and the girls are wondering why they are being ignored. The jocks are talking sports and eyeing the girly girls and the druggies are keeping a close eye on the bathroom. The rockers are eyeing the schmoes, secretly looking for a way out and another beer. The artsy troubled guy in the dark trench coat is still trying to figure out where else he wants to be and the average shmoes are realizing that maybe they should be at a different bar. For a $5 cover, this was some serious entertainment. All in all, the Worthen has its charms and not so charming people. It will require a few more trips to see what it's all about. It's no LIR, but hey, it beats O'Hara's any day.

Ever since I was little, I've heard stories of this magical place called the Worthen. My mom calls it the "Worthing" and my sister Katie always corrects her with " MA, ITS THE WORTHEN." Anyways, a few months ago I went to check it out. I was only there for a little bit.. but they had $2 PBRs.. which is why I gave it four stars. I'll head back there sometime soon.. and really soak it all in...

Every now and then you need to visit a DIVE, so you appreciate the finer things in life...I remember when Arthur worked there and there was a concrete wall built next to it as it leaned. My dog slipped in and watched me drink a beer in the 70's while I was a student at ULowell. Oh, rumor has it Poe drank here.

Good old style vintage bar. Has oldest working belt driven fan system. Cash only. Good bar apps. Friendly service. Free parking across the street.

Dirty old Lowell, at its finest. I love it here. Its the Goldilocks of Lowell bars. The crowd is not to young, not too old. Not at all fancy, but not too trashy (usually). It balances out the scale of 'not at all nice, but not too too divey' by earning a few extra points with its historical attributes. I have heard that it retains the 'oldest belt-pully driven fan system' in the country; its pretty cool to see, just look up! I have also heard Jack Kerouac and Edgar Allen Poe both had wet their whistles here. None of these tidbits of history have been authenticated by me. But I believe them. The pictures hanging on the walls are downright spooky, especially the one at the bottom of the staircase. $2 PBRs and a pretty much open juke box, how can you go wrong? And when they close, you can walk across the street to the all night diner for some grub. Its perfect!

I went here once and didn't venture upstairs but I wasn't impressed at all and I love dive bars. It's TINY, it was drafty, boring (i.e.: No vibe). Maybe if the right crowd or a fantastic live band is there it's fun but I won't be back again unless I know that crowds going to be there.

Maybe the most well-known dive bar in Lowell? Yea. I don't really care for the bar scene much anymore, but on the rare occasion I want a lot of cheap beers with a lot of friends, this is the place. Gets really noisy inside when it's packed, but there's a good-sized outside area for smoking and hanging out.

I love a good dive bar, this place was great, open since 1834. Tiny place was packed, servers were friendly and in complete control. Food was good, prices were also nice. I recommend everyone who visits Lowell, come in and at least have a pint or two. I may live 1,300 miles away but I will be back.

It's a historical landmark for the beltfans. It's all about the beltfans, just ask the friendly staff to turn on the beltfans for you. Cheap food and booze also keno. After a fierce Lowell Devils match have a pint, some spicy fries and enjoy the refreshment provided by the beltfans.

Absolute dump, I would not step foot into this establishment ever again. I can't believe anyone could write a positive review. Bartenders must give out $1 beers for yelp reviews. Definitely won't help them though