Great service but lacking food. Tried the wings and other bar foods. Sufficient TVs. Good quieter place for Sunday football.

The food is very solid and definitely better than what you might expect from the outside. The service on the other hand has been questionable at best in my roughly 10 times going in 6 months. I understand it's a bar, but bartenders are allowed to be friendly, not asking for a hot towel to wash my hands with. I'll likely give it another shot, but not many more at this rate. Sometimes it's the little things that matter- in this case it's the attitude of staff that took 2 stars- and i work with clients all day and understand how tiresome it can be, but, never an excuse. read more

French onion soup. Amazing. Parmesan chips. Fantastic. Bangers and mash. Stupendous. Irish servers. Awesome. Great place. Great food. Good prices. Come here. Now. read more

AAhh The Banshee Guinness, Football, and a chair to smash over someone in the correct fashion(kiddin) I love this place. read more

Although the food is fantastic and the majority of the bartenders are professional (although slow in service and attention generally), the Banshee utilizes a temporary-staffing-like door service that is egregiously discriminative. I've been a patron here for over two years, tipped 20% or higher on all of my food and alcohol purchases, and never caused any problems. Being refused in Juno's blizzard and then watching 3 people being admitted after being refused was the last straw. Good thing there are other establishments in the neighborhood that offer better service and are honest regarding issues of capacity. read more

OMG! Came here for dinner... DELISH! Friend and I ordered the special that they had advertised on their board... $10 for house salad, pork chops, mashed potato fritter balls, broccoli, and chocolate mouse cake! Seriously, so much food and for only $10 that is a steal! In addition to the yummy eats, there was a whole group of people playing irish style music live just a few booths away. I don't know if The Banshee asks them to come in and play, or if it's just a little pick up group... but I'll tell you one thing - they were damn good and really gave The Banshee an ambiance that a lot of Irish pubs in Boston are lacking. read more

The place looked decent for a bar. The food was pretty good. Our server seem bothered that she had to serve us. There were six of us so we spent quite a bit of money and still left a good tip. A patron was saying racial obscenities some of them lacked class.. thanks anyways but I doubt we will return. read more

Seems to be a popular Umass Boston hangout, and that is fine with me. Went there after a lacrosse game and the crowd was great. Bartenders were friendly and the Sox game was on. What more could I want? I really liked this place. It was dark and decorated in Irish flair. Watched a few Gaelic games and had some great conversation with some locals. Loved it! read more

If you are looking for a place to have a beer and watch soccer in the Boston area, you have a whole bunch of options - but only two if you want a great overall experience - the Phoenix Landing in Cambridge, or the Banshee. The Banshee has its ups and its downs as compared w/ the Phoenix. It's located on Dorchester Ave which can get a little shady at night, and it's less convenient on the T than the Phoenix Landing, which is closer to downtown and right outside the Central Square station. I used to stay away from the Banshee because it was only the home of eurosnob fans who would thumb their nose at U.S. and MLS fans, but lately the Banshee has opened its doors to viewing parties for the Revolution and the U.S. national team, so big ups to them in my book. Plus, they put out free food for our viewing party - their wings and meatballs are fantastic. (You can't really get American games at the Phoenix Landing because they're mostly on at night, when the Landing turns into a slimy dance club - so having them on at the Banshee is great!) A negative to me is that the Banshee is definitely more of an Irish crowd than an English crowd. Not that I don't love the Irish - but I'd rather watch the English Premier League than Celtic F.C., Gaelic football, or rugby. But if any of those are your thing, the Banshee will be great for you. The last time I was there they closed the kitchen, but they allowed and encouraged people to bring in food from the pizza place across the street. So I didn't get to sample their food, but I give them points for being thoughtful. Aesthetically, the Banshee is okay- it's your typical kind of dirty Irish pub. I like the Phoenix Landing better, but I do enjoy the Banshee. If it were closer to where I live I'd go there more often. read more

Went there twice in last 2 years. One had time had bad server. Tonight had two very good servers and very kind. Both times the Guinness was poured horribly and is a disgrace to Irish bars. Hopefully they'll instruct how to put. It's not a race. I'll pray to the rain gods to turn it around. Sincerely, the guinness nazi read more

MOST MIND BLOWINGLY BAD SERVICE I have had in ages. We never got our food but I can't leave zero stars. Game day ambience is there but worst waiting service. Earnest girls staff the bar but whoever owns the place doesn't staff well or apparently train staff to take orders or to have any customer service. First the first-come first serve seating policy is whack. If you have a party of four who want to order food and all your tables have one or two guys sipping beers, your throwing money away. And you can't reserve tables. Finally found a stool. Waited an hour for an order I placed. Then they brought the WRONG ORDER. I have never been so hangry in my life. Not coming here again. And I don't suggest you do unless you want to stand around hungry for two hours. I have never been to physically mad by the lack of service but maybe it was just all the testosterone around... read more

Used to go here for drinks but will not be coming anymore. Past few times my friends and I have come we've had bad experiences with a new bartender who was aggressive, impolite, and rude. Thumbs down and damper on my last few gatherings with my friends. Literally went out of my way to download this app solely for this post read more

As a Chelsea fan this is the place to go to watch the game. I was there for about 20 minutes, had ordered food when I decided to move tables. I wasn't at my new table a minute until the owner told me I had to leave my table when other people come in because they needed my seat! I told him I already ordered my food, which he didn't care about. He said, "all you need to know is that when other people come in you need to switch seats!" Which came across exceptionally patronising not to mention rude. Who asks a paying customer to sit somewhere else?! Nice thing for the owner is that I had to leave soon after our conversation. I asked one of my friends who stayed to watch the game if anyone took my seat and no one did! The conversation was pointless. Needless to say, if you aren't nicer to customers they won't come back! As for the food, which I've had a few times. It's very greasy and mediocre at best. The fish n chips aren't great but the bangers are decent. Typical American pub but you'd expect more from an Irish owner. If I had to share my experience and feelings about this pub in one word it would be 'disappointing'. read more

I love the fact that this place is so close to my place. I'm giving it 4 stars for pseudo-shadiness of walking here alone, but muchos stars for the live Irish sessions on Sunday & Thursday....awesome! They make you wish you could sing or play an instrument and join in the fun. Proof positive that Dorchester can be a great place to live. read more

Just went there for my first time last night and it was really good. The buffalo wings were awesome and I am a huge wing fan and rarely find exceptional buffalo wings but they were tender, cripsy, and delicious. Steak and the mashed were bomb too and really friendly staff and crowd. Just a real Irish pub, and I can walk to it in a minute so I'm probably going to become a regular now lol. read more

The best place to watch football (aka "soccer) around. Sure, when I wanted to watch Japan play in the World Cup at 11am we watched it upstairs while the downstairs was packed for the Gaelic Football game that they import via satellite... but breakfast was great and the staff was very friendly and helpful. and Irish. read more

First things first, for some reason people assume because it's in Dorchester, they need to remember their flack jacket should they make the trip. In reality, not all of Dorchester is as tough as people make it out to be. Ok, so with that said, The Banshee is a gem. I love this bar for many reasons. For starters, if you like European football (soccer) this is probably the best place in New England to come and watch a match. They primarily focus on the English Premier League, but do show some matches from Scotland, Spain and Italy. So if you support a team in the EPL, they will show the match, live. Also, there are a number of supporter groups that will meet here weekly for matches including Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United, Newcastle and Manchester City. They will also show all the big Champions League matches live. They have a solid beer selection and the bartenders actually know how to pour a proper Guinness. This place doesn't feel like a "fake" Irish pub that Boston sadly has a few of. The place is very unassuming and very inviting. The food here is what you would expect of a pub, good Irish dishes and the standard burger and sandwiches. I like the food and would say it's better than most pubs. The Cinnamon Toast French Toast is amazing and I would highly recommend if you are coming in for breakfast. All around the sandwich menu is great. All the sandwiches and burgers are great so it will be a tough decision to pick just one. The staff is friendly and the service is pretty good. read more

AGREED- with a lot of the other reviews, good and bad- BUT everytime I've ever gone I've had an awesome time. From the bouncers at the door, to the bartenders (Ask for Connor!), to the $2 Shock Top beer special... It's been fun! The crowd's iffy, sometimes young, sometimes old, sometimes all Irish, sometimes college students. We went on a Saturday night where we caught up with the end of the Colts football game, then were swept up by a "rave" at night. The worst part about it is actually some of the obnoxious women that appear to have memorized MTV music videos, but after a few drinks and a push to the side- all's well. read more

Tried to call in an order for the office during one of the bizzards and was told I had to come in to place it, even though I made it clear it was a pretty big order. Drove all the way there and waited to place the order since it was crowded. Finally as a guy was taking my order, a bartender walked up and said "we're not taking any to-go orders and walked away. Really??? What a douche!!! read more

Best place to watch Sports in Boston. Period. END OF STORY. Try the Irish Breakfast, Steak Tips, the Food is great and not expensive. This is Soccer Central. Come in for all Liverpool, Chelsea, Manure & the Mighty Glasgow Celtic games live. Great Craic, great music. Bar staff is amazing, professional & very friendly. Best bartenders in Boston. Just wish the Man United fans would watch their games somewhere else, they're not big on the deodorant. Banshee is THE place to go, best in Boston. read more

The banshee is my neighborhood bar, definitely the place I go when I want to go "out', but don't feel like going more than two blocks from my house. The food is relatively tasty, for bar food (they also have a pretty decadent Irish breakfast), and one time we ordered a pizza to the bar after the kitchen was closed (though, at that point, we had ingested far too many drinks and I'm not sure that was neccesarily a kosher thing to do). The little patio in the back is a pretty refuge on a busy night or if you are a smoker, and they've got lots of tvs if that's your thing (or if you're waiting for someone and want to keep busy). I prefer going on weekdays, when it's slower and more mellow. They lose a star based on a comibination of the following: the barely legal drunk foreign dude who tried to make out with my very unwilling friend one time, the really, really, unneccesarily loud music on the weekends (though, the music itself is shockingly good-anything from guilty pleasure pop to obscure new wave), and the closing of the kind of creepy, hot upstairs pool table area...I really liked it up there! I probably would rarely come here if I didn't live right down the street, but that's no reflection on the place itself. It's just not really a "destination" kind of bar. read more

great place. the food here is great. burgers? why yes thank you. i'll have two and pay you next tuesday. i've been going here for years. i liked the place soo much i moved to dot so that i can frequent this place more frequently. i also like that they got rid of that silly golf game and put in a bean bag tossing arcade game. classic. read more

The Banshee is a well-kept Irish sports bar, and one of the most authentic pubs around. The walls are adorned with Irish football and hurling jerseys, and there is always European sports on the TVs (usually rugby and football) and patrons there to watch (at all hours of the day). The menu features typical Irish dishes (bangers and mash, fish and chips, Sheppard's pie etc.) but the main draw in terms of food seems to be breakfast, which is hearty and inexpensive (Irish breakfast for around 6 bucks). One of the unique features of this bar is that it features the only open mic comedy night in the area, and features local acts and is a nice contrast to the rest of the weekend, which tend to be the most packed nights of the week. read more

I simply couldn't not post a review. This place is SPECIAL. My buddy ordered ribs as an appetizer. Honestly, I was pretty skeptical of ribs from an Irish pub but boy was I wrong. Vegas odds that these were good was at +3000 and it hammered. These bad Larry's tasted like Pam Anderson's boat porno - a dream. then got the special which was southern chicken. Biblical. Simply unreal. This place is Brad McQuaid, all time. read more

Not a good experience for a lunch. Nobody came to my seat asking what I want for over 5 mins, during which I twice called the waitress for meal. Later, the waitress delivered the steak to me without anything even a glimpse! Why did I come to a place that cannot make me feel little friendly? In terms of the entrees, I had a steak tips there, it tastes a little below the average compared with those I had in other restaurants, it is too sweat, over burnt and be placed in a plate with mashed potato without plate presentation. I don't think I personally will go there next time read more

After frequenting The Banshee at least every other week, I have to give them 5 stars. I should note, however, that this review stands only for before the10pm. The service is always friendly and efficient. The food is great (try their burgers, flatbreads, buffalo chicken anything) and the beer selection is good. The pub is dark (traditional Irish), but it's a lively atmosphere. There's usually something going on whether it's a game on tv, trivia, or some other event, The Banshee is a fun neighborhood spot. read more

This spot feels very Irish to me. We were upstairs and the walls were all painted green, with three large plasma TV screens from three different angles. I can imagine this place being a great place for watching games and beer, but their food is not finger-foody because I had to use a knife to cut up my buffalo chicken tenders, which is not ideal if I just kind of want to dig in and have multiple. This spot is definitely different from other spots I've been in. read more

Went on a Friday night with a friend from Cork; we were there from about 9:30-11 and the place was very quiet. I'm told that as far as nightlife goes-- its best on Sundays. Parking was easy to find on street, plenty of spaces. The service was friendly, clients were not overly rowdy, and the bathroom was clean. Nothing "wowed' me, although we just had drinks. read more

My wife and I moved in around the corner and since we use to live in Fenway, I was concerned about the local food scene not being up to snuff. I'm not longer worried. The Banshee has really, really fantastic food - yes you read that correctly. I'd obsessed with their steak tips. Even the side salad is a true up to snuff salad with fresh greens and a yummy house dressing. The only caveat I will add is that the Banshee is a bar/night club and it can get loud. So if you want the great food with a little less noise, opt for take out. read more

My waitress didn't bring a menu the whole time I was here for a soccer match, even though I asked multiple times for one. People around me were being served food so I couldn't understand why this would be the case, but getting to watch a soccer match at no cost isn't really a problem either. read more

The friendly neighborhood hole when I was in college, this is still my home away from home in Boston. The food has gotten even better in recent times I've visited but such a good warm environment and real people to talk to, games, Gaelic football what more is there? read more

First off, I'm a life long local in the banshee's neighborhood in Dorchester. I use to go to the spot when it was called "Vaughn's" and can tell you the Banshee is 180* from then. If you're looking for a good place for a bite during THE DAY, this is a great spot and very reasonably priced. If you go there at night, expect a young, VERY Irish (as in right of the boat Irish) crowd that works itself into a frenzy to the sounds of electric rave music. If you're over 30 and don't want to put up with the newly arrived and early to mid 20's crowd avoid this place at night. Weekend nights are routinely punctuated by drunken Irish guys (and girls) puking, fighting, groping and generally acting like complete fools. read more

Well, let's get this started. First off, as soon as I walked in I get attacked by a bouncer yelling at me for my ID. It seemed rude and unnecessary, but whatever, life goes on. I sit down at a table, wait for a couple minutes and apparently the server just doesn't give a shit about me trying to give her my money. So me and my two friends move to the bar. I get my first drink and open a tab. After about two drinks, I had to wait 7 minutes and 42 seconds for a bartender to see that I needed another drink. This is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. Jon Taffer would be appalled with the bar service. So I got my drink finally, and it HAD NO NAPKIN UNDERNEATH IT. This is no joke, the bartender gave me a drink with no napkin. I've seen it all. Also, the limes were brown and dried out. I will only be coming back here if I get paid to. Overall, a mediocrely sad experience. #yoloswegreview read more

Huge portions!! A good place for a quick bite after work. Full bar, good beer selections. Great place to catch a game. I have not eaten here enough to truly judge the food but I imagine it's your typical pub. read more

On Dorchester Ave there are many Irish Pubs, so for one to stand out is a good thing. The atmosphere is friendly and the food is very good. Sometimes you just need a good irish pub and thats what this is. read more

Love this bar. Don't get here as often as I used to, but there is a fondness in my heart for the wee Irish girl, Lorraine, behind the bar. The Banshee is a great weekend scene for DJs and dancing - music that 9-5 seems devastatingly cheesy transforms into your favorite epic sing-a-long dance party. Every time. Also a great place to watch soccer/football/whatever. And for daytime drinking in general. Banshee, I heart you. read more

Banshee is a local fave when it comes to staying local and avoiding downtown scene. I have been there with group of friend at least 10 times by now and DJ is always pumping the hottest hits. it gets a bit overcrowded which occasionaly causes drama. But in general its a fun place! read more

Last Saturday morning and allowing an hour for lunch before heading to an appointment, I chose Banshee as near my bnb and after seeing lobster mac & cheese on a review. I arrived a little after 11 am to the almost empty pub (2 other tables already eating) and stood by the bar for quite a bit and was finally met by a bartender --- seeming to struggle to be friendly --- who said to sit anywhere. She came over a few minutes later to take my drink order and then I discovered that lunch was not being served --- at 11:15 and with no other tables in the queue? Seriously? From the limited breakfast choices, I ordered an omelet and home fries a few minutes later. After 25 minutes and only 1 new table to serve, there was still no food. I asked the other bartender about my meal and she said "just a few more minutes." Several minutes later and now close to noon, I went to the bar and said that the delay left me no time to eat and make my appointment. She offered to make it a to-go order and (surprise!) to comp the meal which was the best option possible. While both the potatoes and omelet were simply delicious, eating out of a Styrofoam box with plastic utensils while navigating Boston traffic was not the anticipated dining experience. Like other reviewers, it seems to me the Banshee doesn't take too well to non-locals, even an one like me who was being friendly and polite throughout. Some other reviewers have talked about poor service and enmity to minorities, but my heritage is Boston Irish so it wasn't that. Really, it's mystifying why there was a holdup to create one simple omelet on a very slow Saturday morning. read more

My new favorite spot to watch an EPL match! Nothing beats walking into a bar on a weekday afternoon and seeing a crowd of Chelsea blue! It's a small place, but it has everything you need, solid beer selection, friendly bartenders and plenty of tv's. Glancing at the menu, it boasted pretty standard Irish pub fare, with offerings like bangers n' mash, fish n' chips and onion soup. Since I didn't feel like putting on an extra ten pounds, by way of corned beef, I turned to my old faithful, curry chips. The curry was thick and flavorful and the fries were cut in house. Win and win! This is the type of place you head to for a long lunch break, and then suddenly realize it is now 1am and you might have just lost your job. Slainte! read more

All around great Irish bar -- and I mean actually Irish; not "let's stick a bunch of shamrocks everywhere and hope people believe it" kind of Irish. The food is solid pub fare. They also have tons of TVs so you can watch whatever sporting event is on, from rugby to football (soccer) to baseball and yes even hurling. The service is great and while I've never gone during typical bar hours the bouncer has always been friendly when I've walked by the Banshee on the way to my boyfriend's house. read more