Doyle's Cafe

Doyle's CafeDoyle's Cafe
Doyle's CafeDoyle's Cafe
Bar, Eatery

3484 Washington St
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 02130-2602
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.02
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
55
pDev:
10.95%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mybeercanbeatupyourbeer:
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Rated by Mybeercanbeatupyourbeer from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

Nov 12, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
This is a quintessential Boston pub, traditional style with lots of townies. You'll find plenty of conversations around Boston sports and politics.

The service is fast and very informal. Plenty of humor throughout.

The food is mostly sandwiches and burgers. My Reuben featured corned beef cut with the grain, making it very chewy.

The beer selection is wide ranging but common larger craft brewers.
Sep 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.03 by costanzo_mike from Massachusetts

Jan 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.55 by Best_Enjoyed_In_Texas from Texas

Nov 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.39 by trevorpost from Pennsylvania

Mar 25, 2015
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Reviewed by AdamTebbs from Oklahoma

4.54/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
Hope you like Sam Adams beers because at Doyles they love it. Visited after a Sam tour and had a blast. Great food, friendly staff and of course awesome Sam Adams beer.
Feb 13, 2015
 
 
Rated: 4.5 by LutherBrau from Massachusetts

Sep 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by kevintaraross from Maryland

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Sellen from Connecticut

Jul 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by doremite from Vermont

May 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by portia99 from Massachusetts

May 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Davepoolesque from Massachusetts

May 23, 2014
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Reviewed by ricknelson from Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
The best way to see Doyle's is to first go to Sam Adams (Boston Beer Co) and do their brewery tour. Easy to get to on "T" Red Line; head toward Forrest Hills and get off at Stoney Brook station. It's just a very short walk (follow the signs) to the brewery. Then after the tour of Sam's and having a few great beers; go outside and hop on the Doyle's Shuttle bus. What a fun short ride from Sam's to Doyle's; and it's FREE!!!
Once inside Doyle's you will have plenty of options on where to sit. It's a massive bar, and food is great. Good beer selection, and if you saved your Sam's tour ticket you get to keep your beer glass.
After a fun time at Doyle's you have short walk to the "T" Red Line. Once out the door walk straight across the street on Williams St, walk a block, turn right onto Amory, go to Green St "T" station.
Enjoy!
Apr 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by dental from Massachusetts

Apr 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jwps214 from Massachusetts

Mar 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by IPAchris from Pennsylvania

Dec 02, 2013
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Reviewed by EBeckett3 from New Jersey

4.14/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
My local for many years. I remember when it was one room with the elevated outside its front door. The Burke Bros. (Billy, Gerry & Eddie) set the standard and young Gerry is the best and most gracious host you could have. Now famous as the location in many films & TV productions, e.g., Mystic River, Boston Public, Chris Matthews, et al.

Atmosphere: Throwback perhaps, but truly a place where everyone in the community is welcome. Great history and a venerable political watering hole. As far as quaffing goes, difficult to find a better feel. Go in alone, with a group, on a date or for an event, affable and low key. For me, a second living room. Yes, I have a strong bias here.

Quality and Selection: always had a good tap list with better known crafts, British, Irish and Boston breweries featured, particularly Boston Beer Co.(Sam Adams) located right around the corner. Sam Adams standards and "experiments", Harpoon, Tremont, Smuttynose, Doyle's Pickwick Ale, as well as many cask offerings sampled first here. Fantastic single malt & bourbon selection as well.

Service: As I wrote above, this was my local & many of the servers were neighbors. In the 30+ years I've been frequenting and recommending the place, I've had nor heard any complaint. Seen lots of folks, not just regulars, get a pizza after the kitchen was officially closed and have marveled when tough customers got kid glove service from the staff. Love their weekend brunch too.

Food: Pub grub served with a nod and a wink as well as a smile. Vegetarian friends always happy with the offerings, especially the meatless reuben! If you're looking for clam chowder in a bread bowl, a new England boiled dinner, scrod, burgers, pizza, etc. you can't go wrong.
Prices are fair - no gouging or added charges.
Aug 20, 2013
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Reviewed by SerialTicker from Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4.5
I went here after the Sam Adams Brewery tour when I was in Boston last summer. Doyle's seems to get somewhat mixed reviews, but I had a great experience.

Atmosphere: Just looks like an Irish pub, with a bunch of memorabilia hanging around. Surprisingly big, as well.

Quality: There are a decent number of taps (don't know what the exact number is), with a good number of them being Sam Adams, including some Boston-area only beers by them.

Service: People seem to think the service isn't all that great, but we went in at about 11:30 or so on a Friday (maybe a Saturday...?) and there were very few people there. The bartender was nice, and the waiter was as well -- he even paid for one of my dad's beers. Made small talk, and were very attentive.

Selection: I don't know the number of taps that Doyle's has, but I remember seeing a single row of about six -- I'm not positive if there are more. The list seemed to be pretty decent, with, as I said, a few Boston-only beers.

Food: Excellent. Best clam chowder I've ever had (I've had it at about a half dozen places), the reuben sandwich was awesome, and the sweet potato fries were fantastic... it seems like a lot of people think the food's pretty average, but I was impressed.

Must visit in Boston. Go to the brewery first and take the trolly on over. Great experience.
May 17, 2013
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Reviewed by Cavanaghty from Maine

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Great place!! Sam Adams of course first sold their beer here. Good service for a Irish Pub in Boston. Good Irish/American/English comfort foods. We went after a tour of the Sam Adams Brewery and it was the perfect ending to a beer tour in Boston. It is your typical Irish Bar and Pub, which really gave it a great atmosphere. If you go you must get the Sam Adam Boston Brick Red, they only sell it in Boston on tap, and what better place to get it than there!

Oh and you get to keep your Sam Adams glass with any Sam Adams beer on tap you buy!
May 02, 2012
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Reviewed by greenengineer from Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
How can you not love Doyle's, the quintessential Irish pub in Boston? I was there on a recent Thursday night, celebrating the end of the New England Runner Pub Series.

The food is classic pub grub. Nothing gourmet but all decent, and at a good price. The beer selection is pretty good, but since this is Sam Adams "home" pub, you probably want one of the Sam Adams varieties on draft. That or a pint of Doyle's Pickwick Ale.

But what you are really here for is the atmosphere. The walls ooze history, with mementos of James Michael Curley and the Kennedys featured highly. It's a friendly place, and a nice place to hoist a pint or two.
Dec 11, 2011
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Reviewed by IHC from Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +24.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
I love this place. For an authentic irish feel of old boston this place is a must! JFK's presidential poster is still on the wall!! The food is great here and it's pretty inexpensive. Also, if you take the tour of the Sam adam's brewery and bring the ticket with you they'll give you a free sam adams glass with your first sam's beer. It's a pretty good way start off your day in boston if you ask me!! Also this place is less then 5 min walk from MBTA so quick access to other parts of the city is available.
Dec 08, 2010
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
Doyle's Cafe is first and foremost a local bar with a ton of atmosphere. The inside takes you back in time with its quaint charm. If you are looking for a wide variety of beer besides Sam Adams, Harpoon, Sam Smith, and macro, this is probably not the place for you. It should be noted that Doyle's does have two house beers which are tasty. While the beer is fresh, Doyle's sticks to the tried and true. The service is friendly and helpful. The prices are inexpensive. $3 for house brew, and most beers are less than $5. The food is very good. The veggie burgers here are some of the tastiest I have had at a bar. That alone has kept me coming back thinking this place is a treat. Overall, Doyle's is an excellent local Boston bar...just do not expect to be bowled over by the draft list.
Dec 06, 2010
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Reviewed by Jesstyr from District of Columbia

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Came here after a round of golf at Franklin Park. Great place to grab a quick pint and a bite, but not really an ideal beer bar from a food and beer selection perspective.

Atmosphere is classes 19th century updated bar, heavy wood, old pictures, etc. Crowd is a mix of local/regulars and tourists, particularly on a weekend. Quality is pretty good considering the historic nature of the place - fairly clean, good menu. Service was pretty typical, though the waitress didn't recognize Franziskaner when I ordered it - suggesting it was "well-aged".

Beer selection is better than your average pub, particularly with the Sam (Smith & Adams) selection and house brew. I like the randomly strong collection of Sam Smith, tried the Taddy porter, which was pretty good. Food is fine, typical pub fare. Burger is probably the best bet, but dont expect a gourmet meal. Price is better than expected for Boston.
Apr 11, 2010
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Reviewed by morebeergood from Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -9.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Stopped by here on Sunday for lunch with friends and to watch the Pats game. Very old school look inside, no frill kinda atmosphere. Old bar, old wood, old decoration. Charming in an antique kind of way. Service was excellent, our waitress was always checking in, and went the extra mile for my friend when he asked a favor. Beer selection was slightly above average. They have most of the macros represented, along with the typical Irish pub beer. But they also had Smutty IPA and Wachusett Winter, so some craft represented. There were five different Sams on tap, including the Brick Red, and Doyle's has a light & amber house brew for $2 a pint, not bad. People liked their food mostly. Four people liked their brunch and lunch, while I thought my chili was just average. Prices were decent, $4.50 for pints, $4-7 for bottles. Food was priced well. All considered, Doyle's is an original and worth a visit again.
Dec 21, 2009
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Reviewed by ripp88 from Ohio

4.68/5  rDev +16.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
My wife and I went to Doyle`s after a tour at the Sam Adams Brewery. What a great place. It`s a throw back in time. If doing the brewery tour,and riding on the T orange line, it`s just 2 more stops (forest hills) and a short 4 block walk. Anyway, food is mostly pub grub. I had the bison burger witch was cooked to order, and my wife had the sausage platter, that had two different sausage, kraut and garlic fries. The food was great!! Beers Guiness, Harpoon, many Sam Adams ( first account for Sam Adams) Harp,Smithwicks and Pickwick Ale. The bar area is an old Irish pub. A long old wood bar, and wooden booths along the wall, with many old photos on the walls. A must see if in the area..
Aug 02, 2009
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Reviewed by Pondfish from Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
this place is an icon and a must try at least once. sit on the "original" side where the bar is situated...the expansion with a restaurant add-on is like a whole different place. I lived in the neighborhood for years and this was my bar. remember when the elevated subway line ran past the facade and we got together new years eve when owner Eddy Burke screened movies on a projector. the barside interior is like stepping back into the 30's and 40's, WWII posters on the wall, an old menu with tiny prices plus the barroom has beautiful painted murals that were cleaned a few years ago and are outstanding. tap and bottle selection has something for everyone, the food is mediocre, this is a cash only place and you go there for the ambiance not the food or a 100 tap beer selection. patrons are a mix of all city types. be sure to use the parking lot behind the building not the street.
Mar 25, 2009
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Reviewed by fitzy84 from Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 2
I spent my bachelor party in this fine establishment in Jamaica Plain. We first had a couple of rounds at the bar. The bar itself was a long wooden bar that led right from the entrance to some windows looking out to the street. Boston culture/Irish/WWII propaganda memorabilia all lined the walls. Several televisions were also across the bar, making it a cozy, easily accessible area to drink, socialize and watch the game. The restaurant itself seemed to have 3 dining areas: one in front of the bar, another in the middle of the restaurant (which we eventually ate at) and another room in the back. The place was still very crowded, loud and jovial making it a place that seems to be very busy but also will have a seat available for you and your large crowd.

Drinks were various but mainly focused on Sam Adams, the first customer of the Boston Beer Company. They had the Brick Red Ale which they only carry at the moment, along with the seasonal Sam and the Boston Lager.

The biggest disappointment for me was the food. Very typical pub food that had nothing spectacular to it. I wanted the pork/lamb dinner, but they did not have the pork or the lamb. So I had their burger which was very basic. Nachos and buffalo wing appetizers were also typical and actually quite small in portions for the amount of people we had (just 6 of us).

I did see the bill which my best man and groomsmen graciously paid for and seeing we had several rounds of beer, two appetizers and 6 entrees in Boston it seemed pretty reasonable to me (I hope it was to everyone else).

Overall, if I lived in Jamaica Plain, this would be a cool place to go now and again for drinks and socializing.
Mar 14, 2009
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Reviewed by Jayli from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Initial walk through - you can see and feel the rustic nature of the bar - hard wood is everywhere. There are roughly 15 beers on tap, usually including a few Sam Adams, some Irish imports, and some Harpoon. It has a good bar to sit down at and throw back a few. The place has a really good, family-and-beer-drinker-friendly atmosphere and it doesn't matter if you're there for lunch or dinner, it still has that feel. What makes it even better is that locals go there - it's not a sell out bar, and if you're lucky a local will tell you about it. The food is also good - you've got your typical bar food, mixed with options of a nice Irish dinner.
Love this place!
Sep 30, 2008
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Reviewed by deciding39 from Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Ah, Doyle's. I was first introduced to Doyle's while interning at the Sam Adams brewery in JP. After moving here, I've come to appreciate it even more. The establishment itself is full of history and is worth visiting for that alone, nevermind the great beer and usually solid pub grub.

The real reason to check out Doyle's aside from the history is the fresh, local beer. Harpoon and Sam are both brewed in town, and the Ipswich is always just as fresh, although with a slightly more rustic flavor. Look out for the one-offs from the Sam Adams brewery down the road - you may never be able to get these anywhere else! Three Weiss Men comes to mind first, but I'll always be on the lookout for Tallships, although I'm fairly certain they're done brewing that. Dogfish Head and Wachusett are always available as well. The usual suspects are here too, of course; Guiness, Bass, Bud, etc.

As far as the food goes, it can be hit or miss. If you're looking for solid pub food though, you won't be disappointed. However, their pizza is fantastic. There's even a letter on the wall from Michael Dukakis praising the quality of their pizza. Seriously, it's that good.

If you're looking for the authentic Irish pub experience, for the love of god, check this place out. Great beers, solid food, a slice of history and the spirit of Boston.
Jul 04, 2008
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Reviewed by SMADMS from Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Never been to Doyles before but figured I would kill some time before the event at the Sam Adams Brewery on Monday (6/30/2008).. The charm of this place would have to be the history that is all over the walls. The service at the bar was very good (exception.. this is the first bar to sell Sam Adams,which Boston Beer Co strongly promotes, and I ordered one and was handed my Summer Ale in a Coors pint glass while the back shelf was stocked with "perfect pint"glasses) I checked over the menu and was surprised at the overall prices. VERY AFFORDABLE across the board... The Atmosphere has that old townie bar fee and the locals were out in force at 4:30. It is not convienent to the city at all and the parking is horrific but the selection on tap and the cost of all would cause me to stop by again on the way to another Sam Adams event
Jul 02, 2008
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Reviewed by ZappaCat from Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
This probably tops my list for JP bars since moving out here.

The place is very well lit which equates to family joint/old man bar, so the clientèle spans all age ranges and all types. Definitely not a "cool bar" in the traditional sense. You won't ever get carded here (my friend actually was told to stop taking out her ID when she offered it). My half-informed opinion as to why this is the case is that the place is very old and so well connected with politicians and cops, staging an underage drinking bust would be like shooting yourself in the foot. I mean, Boston mayors have been known to drink here.

No jukebox, and on more than one Friday night visit there's been what I guess you could call a Rick James/James Brown sort of mix going on. This makes for an interesting aural backdrop to a scene of elbow to elbow townies, cougars, jocks and bohemians. Decorations include some very entertaining political posters from the WWII era, along with plenty else to distract your attention in the vastly large main room. They have a small handful of TVs - one or two flat screen, three or four tube. Somewhat hard to see from certain seats, but the place will still fill up a bit more during big game nights.

Wait staff is always friendly and attentive, although understandably a bit more so to the regulars, of which there are many.

Beer selection isn't bad (mostly large production domestic "craft" and macro imports), although aside from Sam's, there isn't a great deal in the way of rotation - at least not compared to other Boston beer bars. This is somewhat expected, though, since a great number of those that frequent the place aren't generally new beer connoisseurs. Speaking of beer, it's all very reasonably priced, with nothing costing over $4.75 in the way of draft. Sam Adam's original brewery (located a few blocks down the street) will sometimes brew a "rare" beer that is served solely at Doyle's. This is a huge treat since it's often super fresh and at times quite cheap. By the way, if you're looking to disrespect beer, boilermakers are under $5. That's drinkin on a budget.

Food is pub fare and has its ups and downs. Prices are moderate. Veggies that accompany your entree are always of the canned or frozen variety, but they do some things - steak tips and shepard's pie - very well. Burgers are solid, but sometimes overcooked from a requested "medium." The chili is killer good, and the pizzas are decent but nothing to write home about. A bit too doughy for me.

I truly believe this place has something for everyone. Plenty in the way of cheap hard stuff for non-beer drinkers is available, as well as a very sizable tour of Scottish distilleries. They even have one of those Island Oasis machines for icy drinks. For heavy nights, the 12:30 closing time means you still have time to stumble over to Costello's on Centre and finish quenching your thirst for the night.

Great for a burger and a beer. Great for a slightly cheaper night out with friends.
Apr 29, 2008
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Reviewed by jneiswender from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I live close to Doyle's Cafe so for me its a definately a neighborhood pub for myself.

That said, the place is a good call if you want to just have an working lunch or show some out of towners a Boston-like pub.

The food is not bad but nothing that is earth shattering. Actually the best food on the menu is the pizza. Believe it or not its really some of the better in Boston. Burgers are usually a good call.

The beers are a good mix of local and macro brews. Always ask for what is cask conditioned. I had some hits and misses though with the cask conditioned. So "i told you so" applies here. Overall, you will always get a beer the way it was meant to be served here.

Great decor and very friendly service.
Nov 21, 2007
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Reviewed by commie from Massachusetts

2.71/5  rDev -32.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 1.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
I've only been to this place once. I went last night with my lady friend. After months of hearing people rave about it, we finally went. We were disappointed. We called ahead, but the young lady that answered the phone didn't know how to get there from Boston. The place looks old. The bar is nice and big, but it is integrated into one of the dining rooms. Republicans might not like the JFK stuff decorating the place. We were able to get a seat at the bar on a Friday night; this is a good thing. The place was thick with heavy Boston dialect. There are strange out-of-place pilgrim paintings on the walls. The ceiling is a nice tin-looking job. The beer selection looks like it comes out of the early nineties with Ipswich, Boston Ale and Lager, Smutty, Bass, Guinness, and Tremont; there was nothing on tap that I would order at a better equipped bar, but the selection is a little better than average for the pathetic Boston beer scene. The patrons and the staff seemed nice enough. My Boston ale tasted a little old and a little contaminated. My lady friend got the Smutty IPA; it was obvious that the keg was fresh from the hop aroma and taste, but it was also tasting slightly off-yeasty or tap line contaminated. The contamination was not as bad as the places on Union Street, but detectable none the less. Prices were reasonable, and this is unusual in Boston. The service was prompt and cheerful, but they don't accept credit, and this is very lame, as their machine raped me out of $2.
Mar 11, 2007
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Reviewed by Freshie from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This is the historic Irish/Boston pub everyone will tell you to go to.

Luckily for us, its distance from the T, its location in the heart of JP (Jamaica Plain), and the fact that they only take cash, keeps many tourists away. It does not suffer though, because whether it's a Tuesday lunch hour, or Saturday night there's always people there.

Established in 1882, this place is pretty damn historic. Many a historic figure has shared a pint with the patrons. Almost all the Kennedys, Every Boston Mayor for the past 100 years, presidential canidates, etc etc.

Very unassuming from the outside, the place is big, with multiple rooms, and Boston paraphernalia adorning the walls. I counted four portraits of JFK in the main bar area.

Good selection of local taps, and some English and Irish. Very Sam Adam's oriented. They enjoy a close partnership.

The usual pub grub, but tasty nonetheless.

Cash only, but it won't hurt your wallet.

I have gone to Doyle's since I was a little kid, for lunch and such, with my family. My great-grandfather, who worked on the rails for Hood in the 20's and 30's, and my grandfather who was a detective for the Boston Police in the 50's, 60's, and 70', went to this bar to have a beer with friends practically everyday after-work. It was an honor that I could finally review this place, and give back to an establishment that has given my family so much.

Slainte!!!
Dec 10, 2006
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Reviewed by Hollister from Maryland

3.85/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Doyle's is classic Boston. I used to live just down the road from this historic bar in JP, which was nice. I never really went to Doyle's for beer though. They have a very generic selection. However, the scotch list is second to none in Boston. The prices are reasonable, and it's such a huge place that it's rarely over-crowded. If you want an historic Boston pub go to Doyles, and have some scotch. If you want a beer and that same or perhaps even better historic "Pub in Boston" feel - go to JJ Foley's Cafe on E Berkeley St (not the same as the JJ Foley's on Kingston St).
Sep 07, 2006
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Reviewed by Applesauce1 from Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5
I visited Doyle's on my trip to Boston with some friends. Some folks at the Sam Adams Brewery told us to check it out, so we made the trip out to Jamaica Plains.

Atmosphere - I liked the feel here. It felt very much like a neighborhood bar/restaurant. It wasn't too crowded. Mostly locals come in here to get dinner or grab some beers.

Quality - Beers were very fresh (I'm assuming all of the Sam Adams' beers were fresh from the brewery). The place seemed pretty clean too.

Service - very good; the bartender was friendly and filled my drinks to the top; the waitress that served us was nice

Selection - amazing; probably 35 beers or so on-tap; a lot of local brews, some other popular microbrews; I was happy to not see Budweiser, Miller, or other macros making their way into this establishment

Food - decent; got the trout; nothing great but fills you up

This bar had very reasonable prices, especially compared to the rest of Boston. Most draft pints were $3.75. If I'm ever in Boston again, and I plan to be, I'll definitely head out on the subway to this again place and get some great drafts.
Aug 21, 2006
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Reviewed by taez555 from Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
The infamous Doyle's in JP. First off, this place is wayyy out of the way unless you live in Jamaica Plain, and even then. From the center of Boston you're talking 30 minutes to an an hour on the T and even then a bit more walking. This is both a hinderance and a huge plus as it keeps tourists away.

The size of this place is actually daunting. A main room with bar as you enter accompanied by 2 other seating rooms of equal size. You could get lost in this place. Very worn and rustic. A single bar in the first room with lots of old worn booths throughout. Beautiful hand-painted murals adorn the walls and behind the bar. Atmosphere is very cool and old school as well as it's mostly just locals as Tourists seem to have a hard time finding it.

Beer menu is decent with about 2 dozen beers on tap and an equal number in bottles. They also have a cask engine. Beers are basically American micros and macros with a strong lean towards local craft and micro brewers(Sam, Harpoon, etc). Bottles don't venture beyond that, although they did have every variety of Chimay. All beers were extremely fresh (supposedly they get their kegs of sam adams straight from the brewery in JP) and the cask engine was one of the best in the city and was actually served at proper cellar temperature. It's nice to see a cask engine outside of a brewpub.

Food is typical pub grub. Burgers, Sandwiches, appetizers, salads, soup, pizza, english/irish fare, etc. All food was very tasty and held it's own against the beer.

They used to offer free shuttles to this place after you go on the Samuel Adams brewery tour (now they just give you mapped out directions). They pimp themselves out with the tons of T-shirts and stuff, but it's all good, if you've been around since 1882, served every Boston Politician since then, and can brag you were the first bar in the world to serve Sam Adams, well... go for it.

It's out of the way, and it's cash only, but beyond that a nice classic Boston bar that I really don't get out to enough.
Jun 08, 2006
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Reviewed by bignick from Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
Lunch 3/3/06

Overall, this is a good place to throw back a pint. It is a large but fairly traditional pub, although it is definitely well-worn. The tap selection is nothing special; it includes very fresh SA, Harpoon, Tremont, and the usual Irish and English beers. They were mostly either 3.75 or 4.25 which is a good value in my book, but the Guinness and Murhphys go for 4.75. They had similar offerings in bottles, plus the Chimay beers for 4.75 a bottle, which is much lower than I have ever seen them elsewhere. I got a nachos to start and a burger, which were both pretty unimpressive. I noticed someone at the bar working on a baked shrimp meal that looked very good.

Doyle's is worth a stop at least one, and I am sure I will return at some point.
Mar 04, 2006
Doyle's Cafe in Jamaica Plain, MA
Place rating: 4.02 out of 5 with 55 ratings