This is my regular bar. The staff is amazing, knowledgeable, and friendly! I come here because I love their beer selection. New and different local beers pop up all the time! Great pub food selection as well. They just added more outdoor seating on the side of the building! Always a recommendation for people who ask me! read more

Small Cozy pub in West Roxbury with a great menu and vibe.

A friend of mine suggested this place and I've never looked back. I've been there at least ten times since and suggest it to everyone I know. Small but interesting menu, and everything delicious. No reservation unless it's a party of 6 or more. I would highly recommend it. read more

West, your days are numbered especially if this place expands. Really good food, service and the beer is FANTASTIC!\ Great selection, fresh, not at all flat and they use the correct glass for the beer too, great! The food is excellent as well: Statler Chicken - AWESOME!!! Cod was excellent Burger is great! (fish tacos were fresh but to be honest could have used a little more seasoning) read more

Every now and then a pub comes into my life that is everything a pub should be; awesome staff, great patrons, crazy good food and of course a delicious beer and drink selection. The Porter Cafe is all of that. The bartender is topnotch. The waitresses make you feel like family. The cooks work magic on every menu item. The atmosphere is the perfect combination of good music, good volume and friendly people. Basically, the Porter Cafe is the kinda pub that you go for just a beer and some food and end up staying till last call. Try it out sometime, you won't be disappointed. read more

The mussels were absolutely delightful, the fish tacos were incredibly delicious, and the twice fried french fries were simply to die for. Additionally, the music was pitched perfectly and on point. The conversation with the owner was wonderful, being both inviting and informative about all sorts of interesting topics; we found ourselves lost in discussion. We simply cannot wait to return. It was as wonderful an experience as one may find. Anywhere. read more

The half chicken is amazing. Street corn and fish tacos are also really good. Great beer selection too. This was my first visit, but won't be my last! read more

Enjoy the food but the last few times service has been terrible. Most recently after we were seated four parties that came in after us were tended to before us Oddly the wait staff checked in with the table to our right and left but then pivoted away. We left after sitting for ten minutes. I was hoping to have a small rehearsal dinner there for about 6 of us but me thinks no... read more

Checked this place out after reading all the fabulous reviews. We went on a week day and it wasn't extremely busy which we prefer, Service was great, and burgers were amazing. This is a great local place, small but cozy and super cute. Will definitely be back. read more

Love this place. Best neighborhood bar around. It's nice when you go to your local pub and meet all sorts of people who live near you. The crowd is friendly; the owners and staff have really set the atmosphere for a friendly, social gathering spot. Of course, they have a great bar with a great selection of craft brews; I love that I can always order something from Pretty Things there. They also have a drink menu with some interesting offers such as a Pimm's Cup (my new summer favorite). Be aware this is not a full service bar; you can't order a martini, or a gin & tonic, for example, due to the type of liquor license they have. My menu faves are the salmon with polenta fries, the fish tacos and the risotto. They always have great specials too. Cheers to these guys for an awesome addition to the West Rox/Roslindale scene and for creating a space where it's quite possible that everybody knows your name! read more

So I'd heard about this place the other week through the Smuttynose rep over at the Gate and had been interested in seeing what they did with the space. A few friends and I were hanging out at the shop, starving, and had had it up to "there" with pizza. We jumped in the car, tore down Centre, made a kooky if not slightly illegal U-turn and parked right in front of the joint. The bar was near empty when we arrived (okay it was 3:30) so we had the run of the place. As time sauntered by, the place started filling up. As a proper pour of Guinness is how one friend gauges whether or not a place is worth its salt, he ordered up a pint. They passed. I started off with a Jack D'or on draught, which was delightful. I so seldom see pierogies anywhere but the freezer so was definitely inclined to try theirs. They were lovely. Not too heavy or greasy, nice and flavorful, and sour cream on the side was a nice touch. I moved on to a Chimay while my friends enjoyed their fish tacos, Left Hand Porter, some other beer I can't recall , and mac and cheese. All said and done, 6 beers and 3 snacks came to just over $60 before tip. It was a nice place to listen to some Britpop and kill some time, and eat without being stuffed sick. I look forward to the next time I'll be able to shirk my responsibilities and pop back in. I will ride my bike next time and further, erm, indulge... read more

Stopped in to try a new place. Really happy I did. Decided on the half chicken. Don't normally do chicken. Too boring. It was OUTSTANDING. Was on my own and ate at the bar. Fellow behind it was a genuinely good guy. Seemed like a good crowd and good vibe in the place. I highly recommend. read more

As the comments of others reveal this place is fantastic for many reasons. However, I am very disappointed to read, and to confirm on my fourth visit, that the scallop/risotto entre is no longer served. Not only is it absolutely fantastic, but the menu is very unbalanced without it. Either return it to the menu or add a seafood entre worthy of replacing it. PLEASE! read more

This is a great neighborhood spot that can be counted on for great food and great drinks any day of the week! I've tried almost everything on the menu and you can't go wrong. I particularly love the fish tacos and the burger. The restaurant is small but we've never had trouble getting a seat especially if you're willing to grab a seat at the bar where the bartenders are always friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a trip! read more

I have been excited to try this place for so long as we live nearby and pass by all the time. We walked in early on a Friday night and were seated immediately. They put the two of us at a 4 top since the table was already set and the restaurant was not busy at that early hour. Our waitress was great, very attentive and friendly. The food was delicious as well but the problem began when another one of the waitresses started complaining to the manager that we had pushed two tables together to make a larger table for ourselves which was untrue. The manager kindly told her that he would approach us when we had completed our meal to separate our tables. I would have had absolutely no problem moving our tables if we had been approached but was unnerved by the accusations (and the disgruntled waitress' rant was so close that we could clearly hear) that we were being obnoxious customers. Very unprofessional and completely ruined our experience. read more

This restaurant is such a gem. Amazing burgers, excellent and wide variety beer selection, and I'm not one to rave about salads, but they have the BEST panko crusted chicken Caesar salad. Well worth a trip here. read more

Food is good and beer is great. I wish they had a larger menu or rotated it more often so I could come back more often and not get the same thing every time. Burger is delicious and my wife enjoys their mac & cheese. This is just the type of place I want in my neighborhood, I just want more of it... read more

This is a much needed add to West Roxbury. The staff and food was great. My boyfriend and I got the oysters, fried pickles and scallops and they were delicious. The menu is small but everything is done perfectly. They have a huge selection of beers. The owner, Dermot was our bartender and he was so great and made you feel like a regular. I will be returning on a regular basis. read more

First time there. Was a fall back when the restaurant that we wanted to go to was closed. But boy was it a great accident. Everything we had was very good. My steak frites was cooked to perfection and the fries were scrumptious. Another's seafood bisque was "best I've had" and the chicken with smashed potatoes were also good. Nice relaxed atmosphere. Only negative is the acoustics were bad -- too many hard surfaces and it was very loud. Will definitely come back. May replace Bella Luna and Canary Square as our go to place. read more

What a great meal. Fish Tacos and Boston Jambalaya that were fantastic. Great beer menu too!! Don't walk, run to Porter Cafe!!!

I got the roasted half chicken - it was very moist and the skin was super crispy. Overall, it was a great meal and I highly recommend it for a good place to get a relaxed dinner and a beer read more

Easily the best restaurant on Centre street. Bartenders are friendly, food is consistently good and the beer list is great.

Loved it! The honey brussels sprouts were amazing! I had the chicken dish. Very tender and tasty. Great service as well. Tiny inside, but extremely cozy. I'll be back! read more

A very good local with inspired, and well prepared food. My only gripe is that I was served a filet for the steak frites instead of a classic hanger steak. The filet was perfectly cooked, but it lacks all of the flavor necessary for steak frites! oh, and it took forever to get our meals out of the kitchen. Maybe just a hicup that night? let's hope! This place has potential read more

My friends and I came here for dinner. We all had the burger which we all agreed was excellent. Service was great as was the beer selection.

I love this place especially for the ambiance. Hard to find a downtown type feel place in west rox. The steak is awesome as well as the mac and cheese. The only thing I would like to see is more of a rotation in the menu. Been here so many times that the options are getting stale. read more

Good little place for a drink and a meal. Grilled fish tacos are awesome!!Unfortunately, if you have a dog don't bring them unless you want then sitting on sidewalks for Patio is tiny! Food is good, but kitchen staff do not understand English very well, so no custom ordering. read more

Went to catch up with some work colleagues...One who lives nearby suggested this...Home Run. "Neighborhood Gastropub", that's today's vernacular, and this fits the bill. Great "gastropub" food, great vibe great service...Just go you won't be disappointed. read more

I'm joining the chorus with my review of Porter Cafe, a little tucked in place in a line of neat shops right on the other side of the rotary in West Roxbury. Nice space--classy yet comfortable. We sat at the bar, were treated well by the bartender, and had a very good dinner at about half the price we would have paid in Boston. Nice wine selection. We had a 1/2 dozen oysters and the fried Moonbrine pickles to start. The oysters--Cape Cod--were amazing--the best I have had this season. Served simply, as they should be, with a perfect cocktail sauce, a mignonette, and lemon slices. The pickles were very good: light coating, beefy pickle, and served with a jalapeno dipping sauce that added the right amount of bite to the vinegary pickles. Main courses: a perfectly cooked pork chop for Deb and a tender, flaky, perfect roasted cod filet atop a bowl of creamy nutty cannellini beans and crisp hericot vert. We'll definitely be back, although we probably won't ever be able to get a seat again because this little gem won't stay hidden for long. read more

Been here numerous times, never disappointed. Tonight I had the fish stew...excellent.

Stopped jn for just drinks. Yes, it's small, but when I walked in with my future wife another couple moved over to accommodate us. Got beers and was impressed with the beer selection. Will be back soon. read more

Great food, great staff, great beer list. not much more to say! Have only been here twice, had the schnitzel and cheeseburger. Will definitely be back. read more

Love this place. My favorite cheeseburger anywhere and Great beer selection.

Love this place. Every meal has been spectacular and I've been here a number of times. Great beer list, excellent food. The pork tenderloin was amazing. Thanks for doing take-out for us, even if you "don't really do take-out." See you next time! read more

This is actually a four star review if it were located anywhere else, but considering this is w.roxbury it is the best option you have around here! i live down the street and like this place for their selection of beer and occasionally an appetizer. It can get busy and if you don't find a place to sit keep your option open for other bars in the area. read more

Love this place! The staff are friendly, especially the fab bartender. The beer selection is fantastic, love getting a taste of something before committing. The burger is one of the best, so are the fish and chips. Only downside is it's a bit tiny but that adds to the charm. You never know if you will wait for a table or spot at the bar but worth a shot. Definitely a very welcome addition to the West Roxbury main street area. My only wish is for a few more vegetarian options. They have a couple nice salads and a risotto that seems to always be veggie but changes flavor day to day. read more

Nice, short menu that is slightly above typical pub fare. These folks work hard and aim to please. Great beer selection, too few wine choices, and have only a cordial license. So no martinis here but who cares? Their menu goes well with what they serve and there's nothing wrong with that! Would love to see the preparation of food ratcheted up a couple notches to return to the same high quality they once had... read more

Finally got to check out Porter Cafe after many months of driving by. I was surprised by the size of the place, but it was cozy and we were seated in the back booth area. The waitress was excellent and very attentive with the drinks and giving advice on the menu. We ordered the roasted tomato soup with shaved fennel and crispy Brussels sprouts to start. Both were amazing. I could have had another bowl of the Brussels sprouts...or three or four more. In other words they were delicious. The entrees were the pork schnitzel and the risotto, both tasty. Someone par took in the $2 taco Monday nights (GREAT DEAL) and they were a bbq pulled pork with apple sauce and pineapple salsa. Sounds weird but do not be fooled, they were also delicious. Nice blend of sweet and spicy. All in all I will most definitely be going back to Porter Cafe. Many other items on their menu that I want to try. read more

Love this place! Would be 5 star if it was bigger and had more seating, and if they had small bar snacks for order. Excellent burgers and drink selection. read more

Cute restaurant. Great drinks, good service, and delicious food, Definitely recommend the pea and mushroom risotto, with the scallops and bacon added read more