Porter Cafe has been on my list for a few weeks now. I finally got the chance to try this past weekend. It can get pretty busy in here with the small number of seats so I'd either come a bit early or be prepared to wait at the bar. The food was fantastic. Our group ordered the empanadas, which were some of the best I've tasted. It was like a taco + regular empanada had a beautiful, delicious baby. I also ordered the bacon cheeseburger, which was mouthwateringly good. Or maybe that was because of the drinks? Nope, definitely amazing. It just melted in your mouth and the portion was huge, so I had leftovers for later (who am I kidding? totally ate it when I got home). They apparently rotate the dishes here as the menu is quite small so there's a lot of seasonal items that come and go, which is a nice addition. read more

This restaurant is a great addition to the West Roxbury/Centre Street area. I stopped in on a rainy day in one of the first weeks it was open and it was already packed! I loved that the front facade is all glass which makes for great people watching and also makes the small space feel even larger. The beer selection is impressively extensive and relatively good priced, I wish I could remember what I had but it escapes me at the moment. My boyfriend and I shared the fried pickles which were out of this world delicious and although we only stopped in for a snack, the burgers looked amazing and being a burger fanatic, I've made a note to definitely return to sample their meaty goodness. If you're in the WRox area, absolutely stop in here, the atmosphere is perfectly fitted for the local scene and the fare is well worth it. read more

Super cute! Really good find-- we happened to be in West Roxbury, looking for a bar at 12:30am. Usually not a good combination. But we entered the doors of Porter and immediately felt at home. It's super dark and cozy and had a real neighborhoody feel. Great beer on tap and even more in the bottle. We stayed past last call chatting with some other patrons, and then ran across the street for 7-11 munchies. Now that's convenience! I wouldn't hesitate to come back here, if and when I ever find myself in W Roxbury again. read more

The burger here always satisfies and then some. Great food, drinks, and staff. Definitely a local favorite.

Our family,at the recommendation on my son and his wife gave Porter Cafe a try . They recently moved into the area and decided to call us and venture out for some new eats in the neighborhood. We decided to make reservations, probably a good choice especially Thurs - Saturday nights with a larger group. The place is small but comfortable. Our hostess/server was very helpful and knowledgeable of the menu and beer-wine list. To my surprise they had a great beer list,not over the top like some places but covered all the bases. The menu the same... everyone should be able to find something to satisfy. At our table we covered all the bases...burgers, chicken, steak, meat loaf....all were excellent !!! ......Have to admit it took me a while to complete this review and have already been back again.... read more

Great little spot for a drink or a meal. The menus changes occasionally but the panko chicken and the fish and chips are my favorites. They do a good steak and chicken cordon bleu are also great options. The bartender is very friendly and does a great job. The only problem is very limited seating. I could never imagine going with a group bigger than four. read more

Awesome steak frites an beer selection. Service is wonderful as well. It is a refreshing change for for the neigborhood. Best Burger in Town! read more

Very cool place, and much needed in the West Roxbury area. To celebrate getting new digs in WR, my wife and I went here because it looked like the closest thing to a great gastropub. Place is a little tight inside, but nicely laid out. Food was good and not so good. I see the burger is really popular here, but I didn't really like it. The style of meat they use was the culprit, as everything else on it was great. My wife got the pasta special and it was AWESOME. Next time, I'll be sure to try the short rib stew! They have a very good craft beer selection, sounds like the best available in the area- so major props to that. Great service rounds things out. I'll be back. MANY more times I'm sure... read more

Great neighborhood place. Nothing like a craft beer and their super delicious burger. We tend not to eat in West Roxbury, but this place is a little gem. Oh, and if they have the Shepard's Pie on special--get it! Delicious, comforting and filling--I literally cannot eat it anywhere else. Prices are good and the staff make you feel welcome. read more

I have been here twice and it is outstanding. Great cocktail selection. It is a great spot to either get a few small plates to share, or pick a full entree. I got the steak of the week and the mashed potatoes, onion rings and sauce it comes with are all delicious. Generous portions. For small plates, the buffalo cauliflower was a true standout. We'll be back! read more

Our favorite neighborhood spot! Not only is the food great but the staff is the BEST! We always run into regulars and we love our nights here! One of my favorite things is how the menu is always growing and changing but at the same time, always has the staples that you sometimes crave! read more

The food is great. The place is cozy. Best burger and fish tacos. Great salads. I wish they would keep the Christmas lights up all year.

My favorite neighborhood spot. Great people, great food and great ambiance. New spring/summer menu is great. read more

Porter Cafe - Bars Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

One of our favorite go to local restaurants! Great craft beer selection on draught and bottle. Food is always fresh and taste great! You can never go wrong with the burger with their house mayo. read more

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The food here was soooo good. The atmosphere was great and the people there were so sweet. I brought my 1 year old for dinner and though it wasn't very kid friendly, the staff was very accommodating. I had the buffalo cauliflower, pulled pork grilled cheese and the fish tacos! All were amazing. read more

Awesome place, awesome food. Friendly and welcoming... two dolla taco night was a plus for us...definitely five stars

I've been here more times than I can remember and have never had a bad experience. Porter Cafe is my go-to whenever I want something quick, delicious, and not too far from home. 90% of the time I order the Pork Schnitzel with Roasted Smashed Potatoes. It comes with a huge portion of pork, and a warm cabbage slaw with apples and thick cut bacon. If you can finish it in one sitting, I highly recommend bringing leftovers home and turning it into a sandwich. Seasonally (Fall/Winter), they have a Sriracha-Honey Fried Brussels Sprouts that come with a Lime Crema that are to die for. I order these every time they're on the menu and mourn for them during the warmer months. My BF loves their Braised Beef with Horseradish Mash (another seasonal offering), and the Double Hamburger. Porter also has great beer with a rotating selection of beers on draught. read more

I missed this place! So happy it's re-opened! They've done a wonderful job with their patio. And the food and staff haven't missed a beat either! read more

I went here with my girlfriend on a Sunday night. We sat at the bar. We had very good service. The food was very good, and reasonably priced. There was a good beer list and a good selection of other drinks. It can be a little tough to get a seat here on a Friday or Saturday night. It's very nice but smallish. We felt it was good to try on a not as busy night and we were right. read more

As a recent transplant to Roslindale from Somerville/Cambridge, I found the lack of a restaurant with a solid beer list a bit disheartening. Yes, Sophia's, Birch Street and (especially) Redd's all have OK beer selections (there's a bottle of Chimay somewhere or a Left Hand Stout on tap) but none seems so beer-centric as Porter and that made me quite happy when it opened shortly after I moved to Rozzie. Staff is great with its beer knowledge (especially Nate) and offers tastes of beers on tap if you are curious and they're friendly and willing to chat (at the bar anyway, which is where I usually find myself). Food is very good. Burgers are fantastic but if you like them done medium, ask for well done. Took me a few tries to figure that out. They rotate out their risotto recipes with different vegetable combinations (pureed squash, mushroom, fresh peas, etc.) but so far they have all been great. I've had the pork, cod and, though I think they are out of season now, scallops. All ridiculously good. Expect to pay a bit more but nearly every dish on the menu nails it and is worth the price of admission. I've been there dozens of times and have only walked out unhappy with the food once (and the bartender read it on my face and apologized profusely, even offering to take the dish back). This is a great place and denizens of Roslindale, West Roxbury and surrounding neighborhoods should flock here and support a restaurant that cares so much about beer, wine and food while simultaneously being unstuffy about it. read more

Small neighborhood pub. Went on the spur of the moment with a friend. It was a Saturday night about 7PM. I was anticipating a long wait. Sure enough, when I opened the door it was packed. Standing room only. A waitress greeted us immediately, took my name and assured us it would probably be about 10 minutes. I was skeptical; however, I was wrong. It is a long room with a long bar on one side, and small tables on the other side. It is perfectly lite, friendly, with attentive customer service. Ordered chicken liver pate appetizer to share. It was served with lightly toasted bread, mustard and small pickles. It was the best pate I have ever had which includes my couple of trips to France. Still thinking about it. Ordered a cheeseburger medium. It arrived over cooked. Due to the quality of meat, I didn't care. It tasted great. Great place, highly recommend. read more

Love Porter Cafe. The menu items are delicious, the staff are welcoming, the patio dining is clutch.

Wonderful food and fantastic service. Chatting with the staff is always a pleasure and I have never had a bad meal!

A little pricey for my taste, but you get good portions for your dollar. Also, an interesting assortment of cocktails. And the staff is great. Very nice and accommodating. If you go on the weekend, though, make a reservation. Not a lot of seating and it's a busy spot. read more

Solid beer list and attentive, friendly service with outdoor seating. Food is hit or miss: the mussels and the fries were nice, the veg rice salad less so, so choose wisely. read more

A classic pub that I'm thankful to have in my new neighborhood. The classic chicken triple decker was delicious and just what I was craving. We also split the buffalo cauliflower which was delicious and had just the amount of heat. The menu has great variety, I already want to go back to try the curry. read more

The Porter Cafe is a great addition to West Roxbury! It has a wonderful list of beer and should be a go-to spot for any beer enthusiast. There was about a dozen tap handles with a nice variety of good beer. I went in for just a couple of beers, so I didn't get to try the food and the kitchen was closed. They also had about 40 bottled or canned beers to choose from as well. The bartender was very friendly and carried a professional demeanor. Some music would have been nice, it was very quiet but there wasn't anybody else in there. I will most definitely return to this place and will recommend it to my friends. read more

I was pleasantly surprised to find this new addition to Centre. For the first couple of weeks, I would be doing my Centre Street walk, and notice how packed it was with people. And after seeing the reviews on yelp, I decided to give it a try & meet my cousins there for a drink. We all Loved it! The atmosphere is cool,hip & intimate. Beer/Wine selection top-notch & couldn't stop eating the fries(perfectly crisp) Will definitely be back! Thanks for coming to West Rox!!! Nice Review on the Porter Cafe in the Boston Globe, Wednesday Dec 7th I agree with the food critic that the fish tacos are amazingly good. I have to say I surprised after they gave it an excellent review to see just 2 stars. definitely is deserving of more than 2! read more

Excellent visit this evening! My dining partner and I decided to work our way down the appetizer menu, then split an entree to broaden our horizons and have some culinary fun! We were not disappointed . Our bartender, Nate, kept us on track and helped select the perfect beverage to every plate and it was much appreciated. We enjoyed a charcuterie plate with fantastic meats and lovely cheeses (with Belgium and German beers), then Falmouth oysters on the Half (with a lovely Prosecco), a fried ravioli of short rib which was done on the fly as a special tonight by the chef and not bad but needed more filling (along with a malbec), and a fish taco that was meaty but light with a nice cabbage slaw crunch. (served with a crisp sav blanc). The end all of this fun food adventure... We split an entree of cod which was cooked perfectly and served in a bowl with beautiful cauliflower, leeks and a butter sauce! Loved it! The service was fantastic and everyone was super accommodating. We came early and had no worries about a Sat. night crowd knowing by the time we left it would be loud and crowded, which it was. Be prepared to wait for a seat if it's a Sat. after 6:00! I ended my night with a bourbon beer and some fun socializing with new friends next to us at the bar. Looking forward to going back! read more

Headline: The brussels sprouts. They are sweet and salty and bitter and crunchy and everything delicious. I could eat a bowl of these guys for every meal of the day. Seriously. But backing up.... Now that we live right down the street, it was finally time to try Porter Cafe and I'm glad we did! We were there on a Tuesday night and the service was great - super friendly and prompt, but no rush. The tables were pretty cramped and felt like we were practically sitting on top of the couples on either side of us, but we managed. Next time if there's just 2 of us we'll probably head for the bar, there seemed to be a bit more elbow room. They had some good interesting beer selections - a few mainstays and some rotating taps. Started with aforementioned brussels sprouts which were just dreamy. Husband had the special of the day, a cottage pie which he said was great. I tried the sweet chili pork sandwich, which was actually 2 fried pork cutlets topped with sweet and spicy chili sauce and some pickled vegetables on a toasted bun. The flavors were really tasty and unusual and the sandwich was enormous, so I brought half of it home. The fish & chips looked amazing, as did the risotto. Things to try since there will definitely be a next time. read more

I really, really, really want this place to be great. But its just average to me. The staf are friendly. I can walk there. But each time I go, I come away feeling very uninspired. Its solid but definitely not exciting. read more

great spot, good vibes, cool ambiance, and quality food. Ideal spot for a small group or 2 person date because it's a small place, more intimate for good conversations! read more

Tonight was the first time since just after opening years back. Three of us and sat at the bar as the wait was one hour. The bartender was great, fast and friendly. The food was outstanding! I had the best pot roast that I have ever eaten, perfection! We will be back. read more

Unbelievably delicious comfort food. I have had the risotto and the pork schnitzel and I can't even decide which one is better. Just yummmmmmm! read more

Great food and drinks. The staff was friendly and I like the vibe. It is on the smaller side but I actually prefer that atmosphere over a huge place. Small menu but everything on it is delicious. read more

Porter Cafe is a small neighborhood pub with great food and a good variety of cocktails and beers. I've been here a few times and have been pleased more often than not. There have been a couple of instances where the salmon or steak were a little underdone but the wait staff is very friendly and accommodating and we were given the dishes back after being re-fired. The last time we were there I had the Rigatoni Bolognese and my wife had the Steak Salad. Both were delicious, especially the Rigatoni which blew me away. It can be a little hard to get a table sometimes but in the warmer weather they have tables outside which makes for a pleasant al fresco experience. I like this place a lot and will be back. read more

First things first... the burger, almost Big Mac style, is freaking amazing, served with homemade crispy French fries !! Now that we have the burger out of the way, other delicious additions to the menu: Beef empanadas are amazing Fried Brussels sprouts( ina honey lime Siracha sauce, served with a cilantro lime crema) A+++ We also love the buffalo cauliflower Monday night taco night is awesome !! Oysters are always fresh, and come from all over New England Amazing beer selection. And amazing craft cocktails made with fresh squeezed juices Connor is one of our favorite bartenders, super funny, friendly and knowledgeable Paul the owner is always accommodating and friendly read more

It's a good place for meetings and family events. The staff is very nice and friendly. Is a small place and warm. I would recommend this. Roasted Brussels sprouts is my favorite appetizer. read more

Great tuna poke and buffalo cauliflower. Cold drafts and cool atmosphere. Menu had a handful of yummy entrees and appetizers. Parking can be tricky on centre st read more

Thought this place was outstanding. Waitress was very attentive, and professional: her timing was flawless. Beer selection was terrific. And the food was fantastic. Had the half chicken with fried smashed potatoes and perfectly cooked green beans. Others in the party had the schnitzel, the fish and chips, and the Cubano sandwich. All thumbs up. Will definitely be back, maybe for the Sunday night $1 oysters. read more