Round 2 at Highland Kitchen was a success! Despite cramming our party of 6 into a table too small for us the experience was much better than my first. I had the black bean veggie burger on a perfectly toasted bun, it was delicious! Got the Mediterranean dip plate again and still wish they give you more pita bread with it but the dips/hummus are amazingly delicious and unique. Service was excellent too. It's still insanely noisy in here, even at 7PM on a weeknight, I always leave with a hoarse throat. read more

Highland Kitchen is spot on. We wheedled our sister and brother in law in to meeting us in Somerville for dinner (not close to either of us) just so we could eat here. - Riccotta and mozzarella fritters: fluffy, crispy, melty, and served with a spicy honey sauce. Gone in 2 seconds. - Pulled pork sandwich: I find it spicy but that's the best part. Great sauce, fluffy bun, and crisp french fries. - Devils on horseback: there were good good! I couldn't figure out what exactly was in them. Blue cheese? Almonds? Idk. - Salad greens with goat cheese toast: this is something I had in Paris that I knew I had to order. The greens were dressed in a vinaigrette, and included two slices of toast with goat cheese spread over the top. Delicous, and a great side dish. I had a downeast cider to drink (always a favorite) and a sinagpore sling (which has Gin, Cherry Heering, fresh lemon juice, Benedictine.). It came with a dark, syrupy marichinso cherry). They quoted us a wait time of 1.5 hours (hakfjajfaskfdj) but we waited less than an hour (woohoo!). I did expect there to be a wait, so you should, too. Come before your hungry, enjoy a cocktail, bring a book. The mood is lively, the clientele diverse, and the food and service is spot on. read more

I was really craving a burger, and Highland Kitchen really delivered! I ordered the cheeseburger. It is pretty gigantic, and comes with caramelized onions and pickles that you add onto the burger yourself, and a side of fries or salad. The burger itself was so juicy! It was cooked to perfection - slightly crispy on the edges and rare in the inside. The bun was fluffy and not at all soggy - great texture. It was exactly what I was looking for! My boyfriend got the fried chicken and it too was absolutely delicious. The chicken didn't have a lot of seasoning on top but it was still popping with flavor. It was also perfectly crispy. I was very impressed. It comes with a fluffy biscuit, amazing mashed potatoes and gravy, and collard greens. I didn't like the collard greens that much, since it tasted too bacon-rich to me, but that's my only complaint. Also, great value for the price! Our dinner tips included only costed $30. Highly recommend! read more

Great spot when it isn't nuts-to-butts crowded, which is rare. Girlfriend lives a stones throw away and we've come in twice now, leaving each time overall satisfied. Food is great, drinks hit the spot, service is friendly. Sat at the bar this past visit and after a snag with our order, it was sorted immediately. Super professional. Will be back for sure... if you haven't had their buffalo Brusselsprouts yet, go now. Seriously, go before they take them away from us! My favorite app anywhere. read more

Yum! This place is pretty popular - and for good reason. So expect to wait if you come here on a weekend. I arrived for Sunday brunch around 12:45PM and was told it would be a 45-60 minute wait but it only took 20 minutes to be seated. All staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The restaurant is a cozy size and there is also a separate bar area available. Now onto the food... We shared the buttermilk pancakes and they were AMAZING. Very moist and fluffy on the inside and just slightly crispy on the outside. We also has the Dirty Bird, Asparagus & Mushroom Omelette, and Smoked Pork Hash and it was all incredibly delicious. If you're a fan of pulled pork, you'll like the Smoked Pork Hash. I definitely recommend this place. read more

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Food was a 3 but atmosphere and service made it a 4. Went on a Monday night and it was packed place has a cult following and it has a lot of positive energy. I guess Food probably 3.5 I got a burger and it was actually very good but my 2 friends both got fried chicken dinner and said it was bland no flavor. As far as the appetizers we got the homemade potato gnocchi fried calamari and ricotta and mozzarella fritters. I thought the fritters were the best my 2 friends liked the calamari the best. I guess I just wasn't expecting a southern food type place I thought it was more on a barbecue steak tips sausage n burger type of place so obviously from the look of the crowd especially when we were leaving there was quite a line so if you like that southern type of food it must be worth a try cause I don't think it'd be that crowded on a Monday night read more

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Only been here once but very good food. When you walk in it's kind of dark so that's not my favorite but good food and drinks. The people that work there a very nice. Good amount of options on the menu. I got the fish and chips there one of the best fish and chips I've had. read more

Highland Kitchen - English Style Beer Battered Fish & Chips. One of the best I've had. - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I was in Somerville for a live podcast show and I had time to kill before the show so I decided to get dinner. This place was suggested to me multiple times and I saw the reviews on Yelp so why not.. Place has a nice dinner vibe - low lighting, good music, not too loud. My waitress was really nice and checked on me multiple times. I didn't know what type of wine to get (still a beginner in the wine game) and she brought over 2 samples of the white wines they had which I appreciated. I had to try the buffalo fried brussel sprouts because everybody kept talking about it. The hype is real! I would've never thought of that but it was so good! I also got deviled eggs which are my favorite but I didn't like it too much. They had specials for the evening so I just got the buffalo drums and wings and for dessert - apple crisp! Everything (except the eggs) were great! I'll be going back to try out the brunch menu! read more

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Love this place. Been three times and never once disappointed (unless you count that sad feeling when you've finished all your fries/food...). Everything is delicious and high quality. Their fries are to die for. Other notable options include fried Brussels (not for the faint of heart), goat stew and fish and chips. I'll never tire of coming here. Note - this place is never not packed, so either arrive right when they open, or come expecting to wait. read more

Other than my all-time favorite craft beer bars, this place is the most awesome dining bar I've ever been to in the greater Boston area. If you would like to enjoy authentic American foods and drinks, this must be the place. read more

Highland Kitchen - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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After reading about his place on Boston Eater, we decided to try it out and we did not regret it! We walked in on a cold Saturday evening and the place was buzzing with people. The wait, unfortunately, was long but you could write down your name on both the bar list and the front desk. The bartender remembered our names and was very gracious in helping us decide what to drink. But let me tell you, all the cocktails we tried were amazing! They were strong but smooth. Loved every sip of it! After some 20 mins we were called to head to our table and were immediately served with some bread and butter. Since we were out on a girls night, we just ordered appetizers and drinks. Half hour before closing, our server seemed to be in a rush to close (while many other people around us just received their food!) and forgot about our bread and drinks. About the food, Mussels: The creamy lobster broth was amazing and the mussels cooked perfectly. Buffalo Fried Brussel Sprouts: I've tried Brussel sprouts at many places but this one was a pleasant surprise. They cooked the Brussels sprouts to perfection and the Buffalo sauce accompanied with the dip completed the dish. Ricotta and Mozzarella Fritters: The fritters were very light, fluffy and not at all heavy despite the cheese stuffing. However, we were not the biggest fans of the chili honey dip and found it too sweet for our taste. Spicy coconut curry goat stew: Read many reviews about how amazing this was and it looked that amazing too but the taste did not live up to the hype. The stew was a little dry and mixing rice with it was not a good idea either. The goat was cooked well and that unfortunately was the best part of the dish. All in all, the place was very reasonably charged and the food was decent too but I would not return here to eat! However, I'd definitely come back some cocktails and would suggest that if you want to try the drinks, walk in around 10 and ask for a chair at the bar. read more

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What they call Nashville hot chicken is definitely not Nashville hot chicken. It's just fried chicken tossed in very hot sauce. Not the same. read more

Still the best. Drinks are still on point and they sure know how to fry a chicken. Abby (apparently Maddie) is always friendly and great. Can't stop coming back. read more

Highland Kitchen rests squarely and comfortably in the middle of a peculiar Venn Diagram. The melding of the bar area and dining area, coupled with the highly regarded drinks they serve, can qualify it as a gastropub. Still, the collard greens and shrimp and grits make it hard to argue against it as a purveyor of fine soul food. But what of the gnocchi and curried goat; does that turn it into a New American Fusion place? And the weekly bluegrass has got to make it a relaxed music venue too, right? Yet it is spoken of by locals with the familiar fondness of a neighborhood diner. This is a restaurant that wears a lot of hats, which is not surprising in Boston's aggressive culinary landscape. What is surprising is the ease in which the Highland Kitchen handles the burden. It's identity is somehow clearly defined, if not easily categorized. You can sit down to a fine and inspired meal there. You can get a great drink there. You can listen to music or watch a game there. It's a date place that is simultaneously casual enough and classy enough to impress someone while putting them at ease. Highland Kitchen succeeds because of the passion and proficiency of the staff. The menu is not massive, but it does not need to be. The cooks in the kitchen focus their work on a dozen or so main entrees and sandwiches, serving them with an efficiency and aplomb that eschews needless showiness. The pappardelle bolognese was meaty and deepened (but not overpowered) by a hint of truffle oil. The pulled pork sandwich tasted like a pulled pork sandwich (surprising how rare in life that is) and served with an apologetically simple mound of french fries. The collection of dips and pita chips served as an appetizer was so simple and perfect that you spend the entire meal insisting you can make it at home but lamenting it just wouldn't come out as well. When you leave (you'll never be rushed out), you'll leave full and happy. If you live within walking distance, you'll be thrilled that such a gem can be found on foot. And within a day, you'll be thinking about how such a perfect show of culinary balance could be managed and when your next meal there will be. read more

This came as another recommendation from fellow friends who tried this Bar/Restaurant previously. I personally don't care for Bars trying to be a restaurant or Restaurants trying to be bars. Something inside of me makes me think that their quality of food suffers because of this. I was wrong though. Their food quality were pretty good, and I had the steak tips with french fries and beans. Calamari was our appetizer and that came out rather quickly after us placing the order. The crowd was pretty mixed, by saying that I don't mean racially but more age diversity. There were people in their 20's to people who could be your grandparents. Don't worry though, it doesn't take away from the atmosphere and I still think this place is pretty hip. read more

I had a nice experience here, and was pleasantly surprised because there were 12 people and at first Highland Kitchen was apprehensive about accommodating us. My friend had made a reservation and they seemed extremely uptight about the whole affair, apparently because it's a small place they were concerned about having us occupy two tables which confuses me because they're still getting the business and a guaranteed 18% tip, but whatevs. I digress. Bottom line, it was weird. Our waitress was pleasant and very organized. The food was quite good, our tables split a bunch of appetizers and the calamari was delicious. The bluefish plate was yummy as well. The only dud was my meal, I ordered the black bean veggie burger and while the guac and side salad that came with it were stellar, the burger itself was disgusting. I only ate three bites of the thing, it was like chewing on water-logged cardboard. There was no flavor to it at all. I think some sort of sweet and spicy relish or salsa would have really helped, as well as your basic salt and pepper. The atmosphere in there is very nice, it's well-decorated and I liked the layout of the bar and the open-window feature. And, they have a very cool chalkboard that they update with daily specials. It's definitely the prettiest and most artistic chalkboard I've seen in a restaurant, so hats off to Highland for that! read more

A solid 3.5 Southern brunch spot that just missed the mark by a bit. My friend and I came by with ravenous appetites after several hours of quality tennis and we were met with a spacious table right by the band after a half hour wait. It's very lively here though (thankfully) not excessively noisy. We started off with some beignets which were delightfully airy and moist on the inside. It would've been nice to have some kind of dipping sauce to accompany it though. Mains included Shrimp & Grits, Chicken Liver Omelette, Pulled Pork Sandwich and Scrambled Eggs. The creaminess of the grits was just right, however, the acidity of the collard greens became overpowering after a couple bites and pervaded my taste buds even amidst generous amounts of the grits and mushrooms. I liked the uniqueness of my friend's liver laden omelette though I can't say that it's one of the eggs' better pairings. I asked my other friend about his pulled pork and his answer of, "It's interesting to have Southern food served by a diehard Bostonian" left much to be desired. As for service...average. Decently well-timed and not particularly attentive. All in all, Highland's an OK Southern joint that's probably at least worth one trek out. read more

Probably actually 4.5, but we had a solid good time, so rounding up. Came for a Saturday dinner. As others have extensively discussed, it was already full, but the wait was less than one beer long. Service was super speedy throughout the meal, as you'd expect when they have to turn over tables so quickly. We focused on small plates and apps, including the Buffalo Brussels Sprouts, meat n' cheese plate, chili cheese fries, chicken liver toast, and fried green tomatoes. The only one that wasn't excellent was the liver toast -- bread perfectly grilled, good generous shmear of spread, but spread really was liver and nothing else. It needed a hefty dose of herbs or spices or something to bring it into balance. Other than that, we chomped our way through everything and left very full and happy. All those other dishes were bold, spicy, and in many cases nicely smoky on top. (There seemed to be a lot of bacon being thrown around.) I did try one of their cocktails in addition to the beer, a mango-ish Tiki thing. Not the sort of thing I often drink, but it was very nicely balanced. Would order from the cocktail menu again in general. It's not very "craft" in terms of weird ingredients you won't have at home, but seems like they could execute standards properly. read more

Awesome!!! Curry goat stew and veggie pot pie, devil eggs and crispy pork belly - fabulous! Back ground music, great atmosphere. Beer selection is excellent. Cool drinks - different but good. Love this place - will be back!! read more

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We were a group of 6 that came in for a Sunday brunch. Even though we called in advance for a reservation - this place gets busy and you won't be seated till everyone from your party gets there. Also a line starts forming 10:30 AM onwards so make sure you and your group gets in by then before the place opens at 11 AM. I tried the mans ruin, dirty bird and shrimp and gritz (really wanted to try the goat stew but they only have that on the dinner menu). For the omlettes you get a choice of gritz or home cooked fries (go for the fries). Service was relatively quick and we were out by noon. It's a little loud and noisy and quite packed but other than that a great brunch place for largish groups! read more

Highland Kitchen - Mans Ruin - rum with a nice orange and ginger ale fizz to it - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Highland Kitchen is a Southern Style Comfort Brunch spot in Somerville. During Bluegrass Sunday Brunch, they have live Bluegrass playing which is pretty darn awesome. For appetizers, I tried the deviled eggs and the beignets. Both of which were okay. I do appreciate the fact that the beignets were even on the menu. They are hard to come by in the Northeast. For main entrees, I tried the following two dishes: The dirty bird: fried chicken, applewood smoked bacon, fried eggs, sausage gravy, and biscuits. Probably the most unhealthy combination of ingredients you can imagine. It was good, but not great. The heuvos rancheros: This is pretty standard - eggs, rice and beans served on a corn tortillia. This dish was very bland and lacked flavor. Would not order it again. Overall, the food at Highland Kitchen is average. The ambiance is unique for Boston. It really makes you fee like you are in the South. I highly recommend checking this place out specifically for the ambiance on BlueGrass Sundays. read more

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Great spot for a casual Friday dinner! The restaurant fills up quick, but spots open fairly often. Delicious salads and burgers alike.

Fun vibe, great service. We ordered the buffalo brussel sprouts. I had no idea it was going to be deep fried like a wing! They were amazing!! We ordered the deviled eggs, herb chicken and burger to split. The deviled eggs weren't good. Slightly rubbery and lack of flavor. The chicken was fabulous! It was my favorite entree. The burger was fine, I liked the caramelized onion but I didn't like the bread it was on. It was too thick for me, but my boyfriend liked it. All in all it was great and I would come back! read more

Highland Kitchen - Deep fried brussel sprouts - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

More of a 3.5! We enjoyed our food, and the decoration / ambiance was nice. I do wish they made waffles (and offered a chicken & waffle dish), and also the music was a little too loud for me, especially for brunch. However we did enjoy our food and our servers were all very nice! We left happy :) read more

Mmmmm. Brunch. Decent cocktails, sleepy service at the bar, but AMAZING food. Came in with the wifey for the first time for Sunday brunch around 12:30 and HK was lively but not packed and we immediately found two seats at the bar. It was a little loud when we walked in with the live music, so it was a little jarring considering I had a small hangover headache and was looking for some hair of the dog. But once we got used to the noise, the live music was actually a really nice complement to the entire experience. There was only one bartender working the large bar with some assistance from the manager. They didn't seem to have their act entirely together, so things moved a little slowly on the ordering side of things. But the food came out of the kitchen pretty quickly. For drinks, I started with the bloody mary and the wife had the "biggie" mimosa. Neither of us were too thrilled with our selections . Firstly, the mary had waaaaaaaaay too much cracked pepper, I was picking large bits of peppercorn out of my mouth with every swig (and even some whole uncracked corns) and wound up with a pretty massive pile of it on my napkin by the time I finished the drink. The "biggie" mimosa is mostly triple sec and orange juice in a pint glass with ice and a splash of sparkling wine, not what my wife thought she would get (she was hoping for a real mimosa, just a lot of it served in a large glass). Second round of cocktails was a regular mimosa for the wife and an airmail for me (rum, honey, lime, sparkling wine) and we were both pleased with those. So the reason for the 4 stars is really because of amazing food. We started with the beignets which were very fluffy, light, and were the exact proper doughyness in the middle. And anything covered in powdered sugar is a winner in my book. I then had the Dirty Bird which was outstanding, if not a heart attack on a plate - fried chicken biscuit sandwich topped with bacon, a fried egg, and smothered in sausage gravy. The wifey went with a western omelet and enjoyed it. I'm sure I'll be back for brunch and hoping to try out dinner here soon. read more

Highland Kitchen - Dirty Bird (brunch) - fried chicken biscuit sandwich topped with bacon and a fried egg and smothered with sausage gravy. Mmmm. - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Hipsters serving grits and fried green tomatoes in the middle of Somerville. The southern roadhouse shack-style menu features classics like fried chicken (on Mondays), shrimp and grits and green tomatoes, the only thing missing was fried ocra. Food is great, prices are fair and wait staff is very friendly Great place but good luck getting it, on a slow night wait is ~ 30-40 minutes and could go to as much as 2 hours I've been told. read more

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Came here with a large group of people at 10pm and was extremely underwhelmed by the service we received. Granted we did walk in with a table for 9 without a reservation. I will give them that. With that said, the hostess was extremely accommodating and got us a table right away. However, when we sat down we were greeted with an extremely rude server. When a member of our party ordered a bottle of wine, she later made a comment that she wasn't sure if the order was serious...he ordered it didn't he???? Then when a member of our table asked to use an unused chair from another table because we were somewhat crammed the manager quickly came over and asked him to use the space he was given without any further mention of accommodating him. I've been in the restaurant business for 10 years and have never seen anything like this. Maybe this waitress didn't want to make money on a Saturday night? Maybe we were not considered valuable customers to this establishment? Unacceptable. read more

Love this spot! Came for Sunday brunch. Plenty of street parking near the restaurant. The Highland Drifters played a nice bluegrass set. The customer service is amazing! The food is fresh and portioned just right! Check out the before and after plate and Jake the happy, seasoned waiter! read more

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Highland Kitchen is a national treasure! It's a perfect microcosm of Somerville at its best. It's local, the service is great, the atmosphere is warm and cordial and the execution is top notch. I came here again for the first time post pandemic and it really feels like it's back to normal. I got better service here than at number nine park. read more

Highland kitchen, your long waits do kill me. But your vegetarian black bean burger is worth every agonizing moment of my (often hour-long) penance. How do you do it? With that creamy center and crispy "skin," I have dreamt of this baby, waking up in a cold sweat. I usually start with a green salad with goat-cheese croutons. YUM! Their specials are usually interesting, and like Trina's, have a Southern flare. Their bluegrass brunch is great, though I still got the black bean burger. What can I say? Try the buffalo Brussels sprouts. Anna loves the bolognese (Though Sportello's still rules the roost). Car likes the shrimp and grits. And they make great drinks. Highly recommended! read more

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I've driven by Highland Kitchen for years. The chatter about this place and my friends recommendations are all true. It's good! I'm not going to offer you anything you wouldn't be able to experience on your own or could read here in the reviews. HK is a fun, lively, loud, place with a fast-pace at times, sometimes almost a little to hard to relax because of the irreverent vibe. I'm sure a stiff drink would help that and there are plenty of libations to choose from. My friends and I dropped in this past weekend to have brunch and it was delicious. We had a myriad of dishes; the dirty bird, steak & eggs, eggs, pancakes - all were delicious and are very satisfying. The pancakes come close to the "best" I've had in a long time. My friends chicken and steak dishes - yum. No complaints. It's all good. HK has a young, fun atmosphere. Points to the attentive bartenders while you wait at the bar; the mimosas were yummy. Yes, it's very loud in here, be prepared. Live string music in the corner with the speakers a bit too loud has everyone in your party yelling/screaming at each other - which translates to very loud place. I mean your head will echo with noise. But the food is worth it. I can't wait to return to try the dinner menu. I waited far too long to finally pull my car over and taste what I've been missing. I highly recommend HK - the wait for brunch is fast - worth it. See you at dinner ~ Enjoy! read more

Highland Kitchen - Three eggs, medium, fries, english and bacon ~ Yum! - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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All around, great experience. The food was amazing. We got a bunch of apps to share. Buffalo brussel sprouts, amazing. Coconut Curry Mussels, yum. Gnocchi w/ short rib ragu. I wish I had like 4 more bowls of that, right now. Mozzarella & ricotta fritters, the taste of heaven. We also did a brussel sprout and kale salad for greens and make us feel better about our comfort food choices. Salad was perfect though. The tables are a bit small, and jam closed together, but who doesn't like rubbing a few elbows and juggling plates. :) I'll be back for sure. read more

Highland Kitchen - Amazing gin cocktail crafted by our awesome bartender Rob - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Parking was easy. It seemed busy so I thought there would be a wait but we were sat right away. The only problem is they do have many small tables clamped together so it is easy to rub elbows with other customers and hear each-others conversations. The appetizer and food came out fast despite how packed it was. The waitress was fast and friendly. Other servers were attentive as well. My water glass was always full and I did not have to run out. Great dinner today. read more

Highland Kitchen - Ricotta & Mozzarella Fritters - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I've been meaning to make it to Highland Kitchen since it opened a couple years back. In fact, I've made the trek up from Coolidge Corner before, only to find out that it was (at the time) closed on Mondays or Tuesdays. It was worth the second attempt. Great meal, solid beers on tap, nice atmosphere. I shared appetizers and entrees with my two friends. In priority from my favorite dish... 1) Shrimp and grits appetizer 2) Pulled pork sandwich T3) Mussels T3) Blackened catfish po' boy For dessert, I got the banana cake, of which I've uploaded a photo. Oh, and the deviled eggs were fine, too. I'd compare their cuisine somewhat to Hungry Mother, and though I'm a fan of the folks at Hungry Mother and recognize all the praise they've received, I'd have a tough time deciding between the two if given the choice. read more

Highland Kitchen - Banana Cake - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Went here on a Saturday for brunch to celebrate my birthday with 4 other people. Made a reservation online for 1pm cuz I knew it would be packed and I was right! We were seated right away but the place was crowded (mostly by the bar) with people drinking, eating, celebrating birthdays. The food did take a little longer to come out but it was busy so I expected that. It was also really loud in there so keep that in mind with the type of people you're bringing. The food was really good (I got the French toast which I loved) and I would definitely go back. read more

Mediocre, at best. I don't understand the long lines. We waited over an hour to get in to a loud, crowded restaurant at the request of an out-of-town visitor we were hosting who heard about the unusual menu selections. We ended up having the same culinary experience we'd have at Kelly's Diner. Certainly not worth the wait. read more

I love Highland Kitchen! The atmosphere is fun and upbeat, and the food is outstanding. I was there on a Thursday night with friends and I thoroughly enjoyed a delicious cocktail and juicy, perfectly cooked steak tips, a tasty salad and lots of crispy french fries. My friends and I are going to make this classy restaurant a regular stop on our nights out! read more

First time here on saturday night. Food was decent for the price. Good selection and server was nice

This place is so good! Definitely worth the trip to Somerville. We got there pretty early so they weren't open for dinner yet, but were so accommodating and we enjoyed a couple of their very strong cocktails. The drinks were great quality. Basic but creative. Food was to die for. We got several large appetizers to share. Buffalo brussels sprouts, French fries, etc. Service was really friendly and quick as well! read more

Highland Kitchen - New American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Hands down the best shrimp and grits I've had. Loved the variety of different mushrooms and the hint of lemon. Goat stew was also tasty, especially the perfectly caramelized plantains. Just watch out for small bits of bone and chunks of ginger hiding in the stew. read more