The Lower Depths

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.09/5  rDev +1.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4 | food: 4.25 | $$

I liked the vibe at this place, mostly laid back with a nice little patio to sit out in front of the place. Interesting art work on the walls though it is a little on the small side.

Beers were properly poured with a reasonable amount of head in pint glasses.

Bartenders were both friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable.

Not a huge selection but they had a good selection of different styles, mostly of local beers - including at least one nitro-tap. The bottle/can selection is small and nothing special to right home about.

The food was pretty decent for bar food, heck they have an entire section of their menus dedicated to different preparations of tater tots. Only tried a couple of the different tater tot dishes but they were really good.

Prices were very reasonable, almost on the cheaper side.

One additional important piece of information is that this place is cash only!

05-08-2013 03:15:25 | More by dbrauneis

bruindre

Massachusetts

4.59/5  rDev +14.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.75 | $$

This became my regular watering hole when I moved to Boston a few years ago. Cool staff, great selection of beers (including a handful of taps in constant rotation), and good grub. Gotta get some tater tots and a Fenway Dog when you're here.

As others have stated, a great place to go to before a Red Sox game during baseball season. In the off season, these guys have hosted a number of beer socials, featuring brewers from the Commonwealth as well as brewers across the country.

04-07-2013 23:46:15 | More by bruindre

Larrydoherty

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

If you are heading to Fenway to check out a sox game, The Lower Depths is a great alternative to the overcrowded bars in the fenway area.

A slightly longer walk to Fenway is worth it for their great beer selection, and the ability to actually get a seat at the bar.

The atmosphere at Lower Depths is of a relaxed, basement bar in Kenmore Square.

So if you are heading to Fenway for a game, skip the long lines, the cramped bars, and check out the bar that true Bostonians know has one of the best beer menus in the whole city.

08-16-2012 17:06:28 | More by Larrydoherty

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

For Boston, the Lower Depths is a reasonably priced venue. Located in Kenmore Square near Fenway Park and BU (Boston University), this is a below street level row-house style bar. CASH only.

I'm impressed with the speed of the bartender who is handling 20+ patrons. When I asked for a high alcohol beer, he offered for me to try it first. There are 16 on-tap selections, including one nitro-stout. There are also dozens of bottled/canned offerings. With the exception of Miller High Life, all of the beers are from craft breweries. The emphasis is on New Englad beers, followed by American ones. Yet, there are a couple of Belgians here as well.

The food menu is traditional (and therefore, boring) bar fare. One nice feature is the $2 foot long hot dogs with a large variety of typical and unusual toppings.

I recommend this place for beer fans visiting Boston (if you can find it) and for locals heading to a Red Sox game.

08-03-2012 19:55:40 | More by smcolw

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

As coincidence would have it, I’ve spent some time at Lower Depths each of the last two nights. I’ve grown to really enjoy the place. Good timing as I am looking for a new Pre-Sox game location. (with the passing of “The Other Side”)
My first visit was at the bar where we received excellent/friendly service. Draft selection we good to very good and the bottle selection was also nice.
Last night we returned and sat at a table for a couple pints and a pre-Sox game meal. Had the Kenmore Tater Tots to share and one of their chicken sandwiches. My son chose a different sandwich so we got to try two different versions. Both were excellent. Quality ingredients, fresh and excellent flavor combinations. The Kenmore Tater tots were definitely addictive.

Service at the table was also very friendly and attentive. I will definitely return.

I enjoyed the atmosphere as it was both warm and modern. New and yet comfortable.
The only issue is that it’s cash only. With planning not a problem, but we all know at times that can be annoying. Overall, nice place.

05-01-2012 11:41:49 | More by Reagan1984

tmrocker

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

I belonged to the mug club there. I liked the friendliness of the staff and beer selection. Found it a good place to start my night off.

The food specials are really good. The menu changes periodically to match the beers. The mac and cheese and beef stew are favorites. Sandwiches and burgers are generally good sized. The portions are not skimpy.

During Red Sox season and the marathon the place packs up quickly so you need to get there early. They have 2 wide screen televisions for sporting events.

12-18-2011 03:54:12 | More by tmrocker

Fclfcs

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $

Caveat - your experience could vary depending on whether the Sox are in town.

This place has an uber casual vibe, where you're equally likely to rub elbows with hipsters as you are with dudes in jerseys. The music is good, the wait staff efficient and the food comforting and cheap. I'm partial to the $1 franks with habanero mayo.

The beer selection is fairly small but carefully chosen. The prices are excellent. I've had old raspy for a fraction of what it costs at higher end beer bars. Definitely worth stopping by, and a deal for pre-game eating.

10-19-2011 00:02:40 | More by Fclfcs

thomasdlynch

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Lower Depths has a solid draft selection (10-12) and an impressive bottle menu (50+) with seasonal bottles as well. These stats stand out among the other bars in the area. The beers aren't cheap but the prices were what I expect for out-of-state microbrews. The selection diversity and depth are worth the prices.

The wait staff is knowledgeable about the beers and proactively offered tastes to help us decide on one.

We ate the hamburger and the black bean burger. The hamburger was seasoned well and tasty but a little small for the bun. The black bean burger was delicious with lots of flavor.

I would definitely return here and would recommend it to beer enthusiasts.

02-20-2011 14:28:29 | More by thomasdlynch

paulds

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

One of my favorite beer bars in the city. Gets very busy about an hour before and for a couple hours after Sox games, but otherwise I've never had a problem getting a table. Big plus for my wife and me is the dog-friendly patio out front, which is a rarity in this area.

Excellent tap and bottle selection, though the prices are quite high. And, as noted by many other reviewers, be aware that LD is CASH ONLY, so don't come with a slim wallet. There's an ATM by the door if you need it.

The staff is awesome. Very friendly, eager to help you select the right beer for you, and quick to offer samples. Very laid-back atmosphere, which is a refreshing alternative to the feel of a lot of other Boston bars.

Food menu is quite good, and the kitchen will adjust things to your requests. The fish wrap is excellent, but I often have a hard time resisting the urge to simply pig out on the ridiculously awesome tater tots and fresh soft pretzels. Also worthy of note is the weekend brunch menu, which is served from 11am until about 3pm or so.

Only major complaint is the music volume, which can sometimes make it challenging to converse with the person across the table from you. The staff has always been responsive to turning it down a notch when I've asked, though.

01-08-2011 15:18:49 | More by paulds

RECiPE

Nebraska

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Stumbled across this place while in town for a conference. Google maps lead us here. Nice tap selection. Nice bottle selection. I can't get Magic Hat anything where I live, so it was fun to try their HIPA (in bottles). Steak tip salad was top notch. Beef was done to my liking. Nice assortment of greens in the salad and some tasty bits of blue cheese.

Bill arrived. I learned that this place does not take plastic. Geez. Drained a bunch of my cash for this trip :-( I would really like to visit this place again, but I CAN'T!

11-16-2010 01:43:32 | More by RECiPE