so, i'm sitting at the Model, in the middle of a freezing rainstorm, drinking my $4 Yahtzee shaker of Wild Turkey and water. there's an 80 year old man in a Ramones t-shirt (that he P R R R OBABLY bought off Nancy Spungen at their merch table) to my left, drumming on the bar and atonally shouting along to LITA FORD. i can't see my hand in front of my face, but i CAN see the splooge on the mirror and the WALL of framed, print-out award certificates behind the bar for BEST DIVE IN BOSTON, and i'm thinking, "This is the ultimate Model Cafe Experience." basically, the Model is a giant dirty shot glass with a cigarette butt in it. as far as being inexpensive, the drinks are TINY. so, you're getting pretty much what you pay for. when i used to go here (because me and my drinking problem lived across the street), it would typically turn into a race to suck down my first few drinks and somehow work up a buzz while waiting the 20 mins for the bartender to come out of the bathroom and hit me again. i did click-off "good for groups"... if group in question is Motorhead. pros: the staff is some of the friendliest (if not most attentive) in town. the older guy is like your favorite drunk uncle (not the one who touched you inappropriately; i think he works at the Paradise Cafe). it's also where you can run to for a few extra shots after the Sil's last call of roughly 4:30 in the afternoon. so. two cartoon star tattoos for that. read more

This place makes you wait in line to make it seem cool but really no one is inside. OR the capacity is ten people

Dive bar? Kinda. Hipsterie? I didn't find it to be that exactly. I went on a Saturday night and the place was packed. Line out the door packed. Young college type crowed. Cheap beer but if you're looking for a nice quiet dive this ain't it. read more

A divey bar in Union Sq. that the cool kids/punk rockers go to. Usually headed here as last stop of the night.

Cheep beer and a good juke box go a long way for this place. Legendary for the "hipster" crowd which is definatly a turn-off, I enjoy this place a lot more when it's not a weekend night and crowded. When there is actually room to move an inch, it's nice to shoot a game of pool, drink a few two dollar beers and listen to the Misfits of Hank Williams on the Juke. Personally, I would avoid this place at all costs on a friday or saturday night. Breathing room is at a premium, you can't hear anyone, and there are plenty of people with stupid haircuts staring you down through their thick black framed glasses... But let's not blame the Model. The bartenders there are usually nice people. A fun dive if it's empty and you happen to be in the neighborhood. read more

I LOVE dive bars. In fact they are the only bars I ever care to go to. This is a good pit stop during a bar crawl. The drinks are cheap and strong. The grunginess of this little hole in the wall is really what makes it so great. read more

Too sceney, between the punks and the hipsters; if I'm stumbling over from the Silhouette at 1:30am, I don't want to have to try this hard. And awfully clean for a "dive bar." I'm suspicious. read more

This former Chicagoan can appreciate PBR pints for $2.50 on a Friday night. Our waitress was wonderful, very attentive and quick. I enjoyed the interesting mix of lighting fixtures which range from one chic chandelier to suspended colored globes. The wall art included one oversize cartoon-esque grenade over a doorway. In the room next to the bar: couches, a flat screen TV that was off, marble topped tables...this is a cool place to hang out for some very affordable beer. Still remains oddly dive-y...but/and there were two TVs in the main bar room with Fox News tuned in. (We're still wondering if that was a joke?) At Model, I'm sure there is a scene to be had, and if I lived closer, I'd definitely come back soon to check it out. read more

Fun place, cash only, lots of punks, and very interesting conversations if you're the type who enjoys standing outside and smoking.

I gotta say, I like bars, I heard great things about this place, but truth be told, I really don't think it is all that. The alternative punk hipster croud can be obnoxious. There are pretty cheap beers there though, so if you don't mind the scene, hipster it up at the Model Cafe. read more

Was a cool place to go between one and two in the morning, back when I lived in Allston in 2003. Always had a good crowd no matter what time of year... read more

I've always had a good time here. It's cheap and you can usually find a place to sit with your friends and shoot the shit. Alcohol for cheap + adorable old lady server = love. Come with friends and stop complaining about the hipsters. Just fucking ignore them for god's sake. It's not like their in your face trying to talk to you about where they bought their girly pants or how great the new Hall & Oates record is. That's what hipsters listen to, right? Actually, I have no clue what a hipster really is, but from what I've seen, most of them dress like computer programmers from the 80's. Most of the people at Model do not dress like this and don't really act pretentious, mostly just drunk. And also, who fucking cares? People watch if you want, but don't complain if you're getting a cheap drink and listening to good tunes (last time it was Siouxsie and the Banshees - sweet) Just relax and enjoy a nice cheap beer and stop thinking you're better than everyone else. YOU DAMN HIPSTER! read more

Love it! Not expensive and the people there are so nice!! One of the best bars ! Great night!

The place to go for the Allston-rocker crowd to be seen (scene). I admit, I've been here so many times that I can't remember them all. It's packed on the weekends and lines to get in can be long. In the winter it's always funny to watch the hipsters freeze thier asses off while waiting to be let inside. Good jukebox, if you can hear it, and cheap booze. This used to be the smokiest bar in Boston; my eyes used to hurt from being in here for half an hour. They do actually serve food here, but the waitress looks at you funny when you ask for menus. read more

We were having a really good time last night, the drinks were cheap and the dancing was really fun.. We were with my indian friend who went out for a smoke. We went outside a few minutes later to join him. He told us they wouldn't let him in because it was "full". He was at the front of the line so we waited with him. We noticed a lot of people were leaving so we asked if we could go in. They then decided that he couldn't come in because he was "drunk". All he had to drink last night was one beer. The doorman said he was stumbling and "moving weird". We told him that he was just dancing and that he definitely wasn't drunk but he kept responding "it's my job to keep this establishment safe". It was confusing because he wasn't drunk at all, and me and my friend were ACTUALLY drunk and stumbling and he was still going to let us in. I presume because we're both white girls and my friend is darker skinned (indian). This is the most blatant racism I've ever encountered in my life, it put a dark cloud over our night and I still feel sick about it now. It's a fine place but I don't think I can ever go there again knowing my best friend wasn't allowed in due to his ethnic background. Posting this so everyone is aware that the doormen are racist so you can make your own informed opinion on the place. read more

Awesome dive bar with a section for dancing. Bar service was cheap and the drinks were pretty strong for being so inexpensive. Only downside is it's cash only, but there is an ATM inside read more

I like The Model. All these dorks who rag on "hipsters" or other groups of people can put a sock in it. The lines are blurred. People are people at the The Model. Sure the place attracts plenty of dirtballs, but among them are cool people just looking to have a good time and get bleepfaced. And people actually dance here and get crazy and who cares if they dance like fools? This is a place where you don't have to worry about what people think because freaks abound. Plus it is in Allston, which means it is at its busiest between 12 and closing and there are plenty of young and old people and more than a few hot chicks on the weekends. Thumbs up! read more

Pretty dreadful. Not expensive, but not especially cheap for a dive bar, either. I guess there is a crowd for this sort of thing, but it's not a crowd that most people would want to spend time with. read more

Model is my favorite bar in Boston. Cheap drinks, friendly crowd, and laid back atmosphere. Always have fun on the dance floor too!

The Model is good and cheap. However, the most appealing thing about it (for me) is that it's open until 2.00. On a hearty night out in Allston, all roads inevitably lead to The Model. read more

Don't know why this place has a negative stigma among some people. Cheap ass drinks, pretty good music, decent dance floor, overall sloppy and fun atmosphere, although they just got rid of big buck hunter!!!!! Basically if you want to get drunk for cheap, of find some women of questionable morals to entertain for the night, the model is where you want to be. Just be prepared for an onslaught of hipsters and grungy metalheads/punks. My kinda place read more

5 stars for nostalgia sake. I am so glad to know this staple is still kicking. This was THE place in the early/mid nineties and longbefore. Such crazed fun. And some of the most offensive bathroom graffiti ever committed to a plywood door "Suck a tapeworm out of a dead nun''s s***** ***hole. That became a mantra in 1995. We used to get let in by an old salty barmaid named effie through the pack door. We'd pass her a pack of pall malls, give her a kiss and she would clear out a table of dorks for us. Man I miss the 90's. These poor millenials. They have no clue what they missed. read more

The last time I was in Boston, they told me that they'd taken the pool table out of the Model. Now the Model's been going downhill (and upscale) for a while, but that is simply unforgivable. read more

Save your money and go elsewhere (even though the drinks are dirt cheap). The staff is unfriendly and most of them are drunk while working or on something else. The restrooms are disgusting as is most of their clientele. I'd prefer staying out until 1 and enjoying myself at the Silhouette if I'm drinking in Allston than deal with the constant fighting and bullshit that they allow to walk into the Model. read more

Never felt so unwelcome at some place in Brighton/Allston and I have been almost everywhere, this was one of my last places to try. It took FOREVER to get served at the bar, 70% of the customers seemed chill, but I didn't get too social much. Cash only sucks the place was busy enuff the day I went (and it wasnt Thursday Friday or Saturday) no need for the cash only BS. Maybe its not for me just cause im not some biker or hipser, but I am a VERY accepting open person and thus was excited to try it based on its alernative rep, very disapointed. I will give it another try though.... read more

I love the Model. They make a great White Russian, there's free hot dogs, and the bartenders have grit. Also, they bring in some great DJs. You'll hear a lot of vintage funk and soul at this place. My favorite bar in the neighborhood by far. read more

the only big flaw about this place is the fact that the Photo Hunt machine *does not have Erotic Photo Hunt*!!! i find this absurd. however, the drinks are cheap and the crowd isn't douchey. read more