Cheap, divey bar, great for people watching. Went with about ten people and had a great time. They're always playing fun music, a lot of throwbacks to dance to. Always have a great time when I go here! Overall, always love the crowd of people there, definitely a great atmosphere read more

This is my favorite spot to go on a Friday night. The crowd is great, DJ Evve is playing by far the best music in th city and the dance floor can get crowded, but in the best way. The staff are all friendly and it's cash only. But $2 PBR's make $20 go a long way. This had become a weekly stop for my friends and I. Love this place! read more

Though I am a modest drinker, I have spent most of my adult life either working in bars or attending music shows at them. Of just about every bar I have patronized in Boston, MA, never have I experienced such consistently hospitable bar service such as the Model offers. The best part, is they don't have to. The Model has been one of the coolest and well attended little pubs in Allston for a long time. Long live this little bar that could. read more

Went to the Model for the first time last night. I had heard it was very divey, and the reviews on Yelp suggested that the crowd wasn't very cool. Thankfully, I was very pleasantly surprised. Whereas most bars my friend and I walked by were either dead or had an awful Sublime cover band playing, the Model was decently attended for a Wednesday night. And the music?! 60s Soul & underground Rock & Roll? Doesn't get better than that. If they keep having DJ nights like this, the Model might be my new favorite place to get a drink and dance. The setup isn't too bad. The "cafe" is separated in half, into two rooms, with the bar in the first half right when you walk in and the dance floor portion in the other. It wasn't a problem getting a beer given the night, but having the bar so close to the entrance could be either a help or a hindrance on other nights. On the one hand, you don't have to walk through a big crowd to get to the bar when you come in. On the other hand you might have a tough time if everyone's crowding the bar. It wasn't a problem last night, but something to consider. Beer was decently cheap (2.50 for a PBR draft) and the bartenders were cool (Dave the bartender was just as enthusiastic about the music as I was, which is very cool to see. He DJs a soul/funk night there next Thursday as well). The scene was probably not a typical one given the music, but either way it was very welcoming. It's always nice to see a mishmash of different people and have the yeah-bros and their tarts left out of the equation. read more

I remember the Model Cafe back in the 70's when I was a twenty something, the owner was a Greek gent named George and they served food that was pretty good. There were some tough customers back in those days the infamous Hano ST was a block away and if you asked those who lived around there you would hear of a gang of kids that hung about Hano St who were said to be tough as nails. I haven't been to the Cafe in so long my comment is of no value as far as reviewing the current Cafe is concerned. Twin Donuts was across the street and I heard the owner sold a big lottery ticket winner to some guy but stiffed the waitress who sold it. There was a tough bar where the Ellum is now and the local drunks would alternate between the Cafe and there but the Cafe had no tolerance for slobbering. Slobs went packing fast from the Cafe. read more

I've waited a long time to review the Model because I have never really cared to summon all the emotional energy that I need to say 'I love you, you little sh*t hole'. What is there not to love? This place hasn't changed in god knows how long.....L I A R....L I A R ... The place just got all fancy pants - where's the pool table? What's with this fancy couch? Oh, wait, the old lady still works here and a round of 6 drinks still costs $20? Then, they could paint the place pink and have a pet badger running lose and I would still pop in from time to time. What's better than an old lady convincing your already drunk wife to have a margarita instead of a glass of wine? Nothing. Stay classy Model Cafe. read more

Dear DJ, When asked by some white boy with nice teeth and sunglasses to play "hammer time" you lied and told him you would. You didn't. And we all thank you for that. read more

I went there tonight for the 1st time because a friend of mine suggested it. It is a great spot with very fairly priced drinks. There were plastic deviders up at the bar and 5 of the 6 people didn't have masks on, which was FINE. I made the mistake of leaving my table (which was 3.5 feet from the bar) without a mask because there were plastic dividers and 5 of the 6 patrons at the bar were maskless. Big mistake. The bartender screamed at me and humiliated me in front of everyone. I put my hands up and told him I was very sorry and it was my 1st time in there (my buddy was outside smoking a cigarette). He proceeded to yell at me in front of everyone and threatened to kick me out if I approached the bar again (with or without a mask). My buddy who is a regular, came in and did the same thing... the bartender relayed the same message to him, but in a MUCH more respectful way. No yelling, no swearing. I am not a local/regular and I get that, but there is no need to be so rude to somebody who is buying drinks at your bar and planned on tipping well. I may not have a ton of tattoos or cool piercings or blue hair, but I just wanted to hang out and have a good time. I am gonna try again later and hopefully it will go a bit smoother. I didn't mean to upset anybody. I left a $20 bill for a bud light and a jack & ginger for the bartender that screamed at me and humiliated me in front of everyone. I apologized and even complimented him on the awesome jack & ginger he made for me. I didn't mean to make anybody upset or uncomfortable and a nice person came up after and apologized for the barkeeps outburst. I understand I messed up and I am sorry. I hope to eventually fit in there. Drinks are great there but you may need to try a little more than usual to get on their good side if you are not a regular. And if the staff are reading this, please accept my apology. I would love to come back. There are GREAT people there and the drinks are AWESOME. 10/10 WOULD recommend as long as you can handle a little attitude toward newbies. read more

I honestly used to like this place. Until I found out what dicks the people that work here can be. My friend (female) and I (female) went into the men's room to go to the bathroom, because the line for the women's room and the unisex room were long. After about 40 seconds we had a bouncer knocking on the door telling us we were kicked out. Both my friend and I had had one or two beers and were no NEAR drunk. We were screamed at (seriously!) and pushed out the door for using the men's restroom at the same time. We were told we should "know" not to use a men's room "EVER" (at ANY bar) because it has a "urinal" in it. They said it was the Model's policy that if anyone female was two people in the men's room they would get kicked out. My friend and I patiently and kindly explained we were unaware of this policy (where was this posted?), that we were sorry, and that we only wanted to celebrate our friend's birthday, but were still kicked out simply because the bouncer's didn't want to look like pussies after yelling at 2 innocent patrons. Don't go here ever. RUDE people who have their noses so far up their asses they can't tell when they're losing good business. All I wanted was an apology from these assholes, and if one day I get it I may bump this up to 2 stars. read more

My most favorite dive bar ever. It is dark, dingy, totally nondescript from the outside, and the kind of place you'd poke your head in, and then keep on walking. But it retains its spot as #1 in my heart as my tried-and-true neighborhood hang-out. My band's practice space was about a block up the road (in the Cort building), so you'd always have a bazillion rocker-types hanging out there -- which is why the jukebox is so good. And Effie, the waitress and bar owner's aunt, always remembered us, even if we all somehow wound up named "honey." (*sigh*) The way she pronounced "You want a Sam," as in Sam Adams, with her deep Boston accent, still makes me smile just thinking about it. It goes a little something like this: "You woo-unt a see-ay-um, honey?" I miss you, Effie! read more

Avoid. Honestly regret leaving a tip at this place-- have never seen a bartender as nasty or rude as the guy with the gauges. Simple requests like "use the other door" turn into insults and barked orders. Shame because the vibe is otherwise nice and the beer is cheap. I cut everyone a little slack because being in the service industry is stressful, but there's just no excuse for treating your customers like crap, and I will gladly take my business somewhere where I'n treated with respect. read more

I wonder if I'm just feeding into some lame hipster loop by giving this place three stars. Anyway -- after the usual disclaimer, it really does come down to the fact that I end up having a good time here. The beer is cheap, the jukebox is good, and my experiences with the bartenders and sole waitress in cyndi lauper getup have been pleasant. read more

Cheap, I always get extremely drunk, fun crowd, erotic photo hunt. As I recall the juke box is TOPS. Docked one star for not having big buck hunter. read more

Cash Bar. Small dancefloor. Rude Hipsters that love to dance like morons and spill your beer all over you. Music was dope though & $2.50 PBRs are a nice perk. read more

I did not/do not belong at the Model. But the first time I went I liked the odd mish-mash of people and Iggy Pop look-a-likes. It kind of changed over the past few years, as places do. I stopped going once they started making you line up outside. The doorman told me straight up that it was to make the place look...more...bumping? I don't know. So I didn't go back for a while and I passed on that whole dance night craze. But I went back recently and a lovely transvestite saddled up next to me and all felt right with the world. It's funny little place for a cheap beer that I like to visit when the mood strikes. read more

Four stars for a dive bar??? It's the best jukebox on the other side of the river, and the beer is cheap. Plus, it's right next door to Allston's veggie-chic Grasshopper and TJ Scallywaggles. They have a pool table, but I dont think I've ever used it. read more

Awesome dive. Don't go here if you're looking for a classy joint that accepts credit cards and will mix you some fancy drink. Do go here if you're willing to laugh at the hipsters, pay cash for cheap beers, play Buck Hunter and dance on a tiny floor to some great music. It's loud, often crowded, the bathrooms are gross and people get thrown out nearly every time I go, but it's a pretty great place if you're just looking for a fun time dancing and drinking with your friends. Be warned that there will be a line if you go there much past 11pm, and if you get stuck in this line you may not get in because it's a pretty small place. Four stars for the gross bathrooms. read more

EDIT: the "bald dude" i referenced the other day in my Model review!!! His name is DJ Sterling Golden, saw his name in todays Globe. His show at the Model is called "LEGACY" and he spins 2nd Wednesday of the month. So check out his night, and RESCUE night every other Sunday, they spin some great New Wave! Like i was sayin the other day those are the only dj nights worth checking out at the Model. But they seriously ROCK! read more

The place actually still retains some grit so it's not for the faint of constitution or easily offended. The Model Cafe is probably my favorite "Dive Bar" from my time in Allston. I liked getting there early so I could get a booth and watch all the rockers and hipsters trickle in. Then watch them get progressively more hosed and lively. I'd usually see people I knew there and would rarely get to see otherwise, so it was a great alternative to reading someone's frikkin blog for finding up what's going on in someone's life. Try the Gin Gimlets. read more

So like... came to Boston and was like, "Omg, so thirsty right now. Need a bevvie in this bod STAT" so I was all, "Maybe like this cute cafe thing will have booze." And ohhhhhh was I right. Like this place had so many do-able hipsters I was all like, "OMG like how am I gonna choose??" But the bartenders were cool. Free hot dogs. Like they look gross but whatever, if it looks like a dick I'll eat it. BTW there's a unisex potty for like fun times if need be. Totally would go back again. But like 4 stars cuz I asked this emo DJ to play Selena Gomez and he was all, "Nah I don't even know what that is." Like who doesn't know Selena??!! She dated Justin for like so long. Whatever. Cheap drinks like so good. read more

After a 10 minute argument about whether people call it "model" or "modelle" we finally arrived to this fantastic shithole. It's waaay shittier than I thought. There were only a couple of people sitting at the bar when we arrived so the place looked even more bare than it is. Definitely not for the high-maintenance, but 3 other friends and I sat at the bar with $4 beers and watched Fox News for an hour and it was lovely. We could actually hear each other without having to yell. I will definitely be coming back. Great dive bar to wind down and chillax (yeah i said chillax, and i also say modelle.. what of it?) read more

ONE OF THE BEST DIVE BARS IN BOSTON! One band plays on a Wednesday night (different band each week), usually of the Agressive Guitar Music catagory. Charlie, one of the bartenders, is grumpy, but Sarah, the cute waitress is nice, as are Unger, Jim WAGD, and Scotty Montropolis (the doorguys). If you're into rock music and local bands, this is the place to hang out. If you're into mainstream pop culture, techno music, and dancing with chicks who have frosted hair, GO DOWNTOWN. No food, but good beer and good whiskey. read more

This place is ridiculous. Cheap as hell in every regard. They have some weird electronic games going on, I'm pretty upset they got rid of that pool table that you needed a short stick to play the corner with. Charlie is the grumpiest dude ever, I tip him only because he looks miserable. Saturday nights here get wild, so show up before midnight to avoid the line. The DJ nights are typically garbage. This place is a cultural black hole. read more

this spot gets a 5 for the 2.50 pbrs. its pretty cheap and gets pretty packed on the weekends. they play some good music too.it's more of a punk,thrash,metal and shit like that kind of bar. defiantly a place where you go with a bunch of friends and get loose. I need to start getting out there more often. read more

So I ventured into this local watering hole on Sat night at about 11:40p. There was a small line, but nothing longer than 15 minutes at the time. Went in the vibe seemed chill, sat at the bar and enjoyed my drinks, some vodka, pbr, and newcastle. Good service, decent prices and the bonus was that they were playing a bunch of rush. Scenesters and hipsters around, but as far as I could tell no real assholes, so it was cool. I'm def coming back sometime soon read more

Everyone who writes a bad review about this place is really just a bitter bitch. I moved here from upstate ny and asked someone on the street where the sketchiest place to go was. I was sent to the Model Cafe. It was everything I hoped for, cheap drinks, fun people watching, and dirty tiny bathrooms. If you come here expecting more, you're dumb. I was obviously not the type, in my bright pink clothing along with my gay friend who dresses in abercrombie and fitch. But no one thought twice about our strange appearances. We danced and had a good time all night. We liked the music and the people (no matter how drearily dressed) that we continue to go at least once a week. Best dive bar in all of Boston by far! read more

i used to go here all the time but now i have learned that it's all still the same old school people that have been going for the past 10 years. "Dudes, don't you have a life?" either way it's got a killer jukebox, cheap beer, hot guys who buy you drinks and lot's of sloppy drunks to make fun of. One time my friend puked on the bar and they still served her, but I think they are more strict now. read more

A cover when there's live music, not many people when there isn't, but they do have some kickin old tunes playin. Alternative crowd makes this a special place in the land of college students, but don't think they're any more open minded. Went for some drinks with a friend and we danced to some oldies music - 1950s style - people didn't seem too cool with it. Staff were nice and jukeboxes are always fun - definitely a different experience at Model than White Horse! read more

This is the main place I drink when I go back to Boston because I am kind of a degenerate. The Model is cheap and there's a pool table. It's comforting to know this place is there, even though it's not like it used to be a long time ago (the 90s). To me it will always be a place where people throw up in the bathrooms, even if that rarely happens anymore. read more

Cheap, stiff drinks ($5 and my roomie got a cup of whiskey and ice with a splash of 7 Up)!!!!! What more do you want in Allston? The atmosphere is fine for a divey joint. It's fairly clean. And the weekend crowd is hilarious - hipster kids and crust punks with trust funds LINE UP to get in Model. I just...why? Nonetheless, a hilarious mix of people allow you to be a drunken, judgmental jerk a few steps from public transportation. They will stop you if you have an out-of-state ID! There's an ATM on-site. Other than Model's hot dogs, there's food nearby for when you really need to sober up. If you are a broke twenty-something, Model is perfect. Go into it with the right attitude and you will love it. read more

The people watching here is top notch and it's usually packed with plenty of the suicide girls/boys of your dreams (if not a little rougher around the edges). If you're looking for an economical way to get your drunk on and and shake it on the dance floor without the danger of having "Call Me Maybe" come on, you've come to the right place. Seems like a lot of the people that come here already know each other well. Just try to sneak in before 10 or 11 on Fri./Sat. or you'll have to wait in line. And bring cash. read more

I had a lot of fun at this place. My boyfriend and I referred to it as Boston's version of Brooklyn. There was a good range of music between ratchet hip hop and pop/rock. Hipsters everywhere, but overall a good vibe and we had a lot of fun dancing/partying the whole night. The only downside was the somewhat rude bartenders. read more

Been going here for a long time. I saw the bar move and a pool table vanish taking with it about 8 Brazilian pool sharks. It's the safest bar, you'll never have to worry about your drink being dosed because everyone is to cheep to share their drugs or just wouldn't waste'em on someone they don't know. It's not the "moedell" it's the Model! read more

FRIENDLY CROWD - EVERYONE IS WELCOME The Model Cafe has been around since 1932 (google "model cafe allston 1932" for a good article). I've been popping in here a few times a year for about 16 years. The owners and staff are great people and are long time Allston residents. It's a small (60 or so capacity) dive bar with cheap beer and mixed drinks (no food). It's cash only, but there is an ATM inside. The bar is split into two halves. One side has the bar and some chairs along the wall. The other side has a couple of couches, a few tables/chairs, and an open area in the middle where people end up dancing on weekend nights. The weekend music used to come from a jukebox that had everything from Elvis to Metallica. Now though, later into the night, a DJ plays top 40 70s/80s dance music. They've also added a couple small TV's. If you pop in early evening when there's a Sox/Bruins/Patriots game, it will probably be on. The bar attracts a friendly mix of musicians, locals, and people who want to dance (and not have dress up in anything more than a t-shirt and jeans). If you're planning to check it out for the first time on a weekend, I would recommend you get there around 9:30 to beat the line that starts forming around 11. I don't think the DJ will kick in the dance music until after 11, but I'd say at around 10:30 you'll start to get a feel for the bar and the crowd, and you can decide then whether or not The Model Cafe is for you. read more

I went here with two friends. The line was for 45 minutes even though no one was inside, which we accepted. During the wait my friend leaned against the window and closed her eyes (probably 39 minutes in). The bouncers noticed but waited the extra 15 minutes until we walked in to tell us we were not welcome because my friend did that. We had not been drinking. The other bouncer loudly and rudely yelled at us that they had the right to deny anyone. Do not come here unless you want to wait 45 minutes to get into an empty bar with rude staff read more

This place sucks. If you're looking for cheap bar beer head three blocks away to the Silhouette for free popcorn and $7 pitchers. The Model offers no pitchers, over priced crappy beer and seems to keep a line outside on weekends just to make the place look exciting. Take a peek in the window on a Friday and you'll notice the place half full and a line of 10 people waiting to get in. Stupid. read more

I have a love hate relationship with the Model. I've been going there for eight years and even though I complain that it's crowded with hipsers and has not even a semi-top shelf liquor, I continue to end up back there time and time again. Why? Cos I am a lame hipster at heart. And it's fun to get shit can wasted and run into seven of your ex-boyfriends at once. One time, I wrote a paper there on a Henri Cole's Middleearth. Ok, but seriously, the older lady who waitresses, I love her and sometimes I miss her when I don't see her for awhile. Don't front, you love the model and you know it. read more

The model is truly an Allston institution, although I liked it better when it was truly a shitty dive bar instead of a cleaned up faux dive bar. It's still a cool place with a good jute box, cheap beer and cute people though, even if it is hipster central. 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

I came to Boston via Columbus Ohio and this is the closet feel to a "Mid-Western" dive bar that I have discovered in Boston. I have been frequenting the Model for over a year now and it is becoming a stand-by. The crowd is always cool, in that that everyone is usually nice. The drinks a decent, the beer selection is okay. This place seems to be much more enjoyable when it is not packed. After 11pm on a weeknight is usually sweet. read more