Great food, lots of Rod Stewart, what else could you ask for? The ambiance is really carefree and wonderful, I've had many relaxing meals here. read more

So I've been back to The Haven many times over the past 3.5 years (...what can I say, I live three blocks away) and things have definitely turned around. I'm thinking that my earlier experiences with atrocious service were an aberration, or maybe I was just tremendously unlucky, because I have not had any similar problems recently. In fact, the service has been quite smooth and I've felt very well taken care of. I even went in the middle of one of the MANY blizzards this past winter when I'm pretty sure that they were the only restaurant in JP open. The staff were nothing but gracious and warm despite the hordes of stir-crazy people sick of being cooped up at home. The food is still generally awesome. My love affair with the fish supper continues, and I feel compelled to order it every time I go for dinner. Still wish they'd put more minty mushy peas on the plate and less potatoes, but that's just me. The seasonal veggie bridies (basically an empanada-type thing) are also delicious for an appetizer, or as a small addition if you're planning to split an entree between two people. One time, I went rogue and ordered the barley risotto with mushrooms. That was a mistake. It just doesn't taste like much of anything, and the mushrooms were weirdly too big (cut in huge circular pieces to look like scallops) and flavorless, with a rubbery texture. Won't do that again! It's really the only unsatisfying dish I've ordered from here, though. For brunch, I've stuck with the toffee french toast, which is basically dessert for breakfast with toffee sauce, whipped cream, and blueberries on top of seriously excellent french toast. Almost rot-your-teeth-out sweet, but the little kid in me is just overjoyed because it's so freaking delicious and unique. At any rate, I'm very glad that dining at the Haven is no longer a stressful experience, and I've really enjoyed having this as my go-to neighborhood spot. read more

Great place but could use some improvement. Slamming burger with sweet house made ketchup. Was curious about the haggis app. Half of the menu is fried including the dessert options. For the vegetarian the woodland pie sounded good but we did not sample. They seem to have hired all of the old alchemist waitresses which is ok but mine did not know the difference between an ale and a lager. I will wait till it gets colder to return for more scotish food and then I'll make sure to not sit at the tables along the back wall where the bench is considerably higher than the uncomfortable school chairs that make up for the remainder if the seating. read more

My third and most recent trip to the Haven was as a first stop on a cycling pub ride I was leading around the Emerald Necklace. I got a Scotch egg just like I did on my first two trips here and just like I probably will every other time I come here. A deep fried sausage wrapped egg. Wow. Just what the doctor ordered... me not to do. One of my friends got the full Scottish breakfast. I think they make their own bacon and stuff. The bacon was incredible--very thickly cut and mostly fat but cooked to that perfect melty crispy place. He gave me most of his blood pudding too. I can see why people think blood pudding is gross, but I can't see why they still think so after eating it. Another friend got the house-cured salmon. It was really frigging good. I don't like most Scottish beer. They have a lot of it here, but they have plenty of other styles too which is just super. read more

Love this spot. The deviled eggs are DELICIOUS. as is the burger oh my goodness. Might be my favorite burger in Boston. Go.

The Haven is a family favorite in my household. I went on a trip to Belize with my grandfather, and what did he repeat on a regular basis? "I can't wait to get back to Boston to go to the Haven"-- not even kidding. Besides their incredible, authentic Scottish foods, the Haven has a fun atmosphere. They're a favorite for the Scots Charitable Society. Personally, I love the Haven Burger, their Haggis, and their Scottish deviled eggs. Yumm! Their prices are a tad on the high side, but if you're not against splurging every once in a while, this is the place to go. read more

I went last month with some friends and had haggis for the first time. I also had the fish supper (fish and chips) with mushy mint pea. The fish was great, not over fried and the batter was very nice. The chips were excellent. Nice and thick and not overcooked. I had a few pints of Belhaven that really hit the spot. Oh and oat cakes with butter and pickled veggies were brought to our table with the menus and were g I'll be stopping in tonight to try the Haven Burger and expect I won't be disappointed! Great food, atmosphere, and brews! Extremely friendly owner and staff. Belhaven on draguht is quite the treat! And please, the people that are taking points off for the food Chips are NOT fries, they are supposed to be a bit raw on the inside and are supposed to be THICK. It's how it's done in the UK. If the food is not to your liking and you don't think it's on par with other Scottish food you've had that's fine but you need to understand this is authentic Scottish cuisine. You wouldn't go to Indian restaurant and fault the place if you dont even like Indian food in the first place would you? read more

Had a nice group dinner for my husband birthday. The host was so great, really nice and kind about accommodating our large group on a saturday night. Everything was great, couldn't have asked for more. read more

A gem in the heart of JP. The haggis was amazing, the draft beers were very unique , and the bar tender very cute (not less important)..... read more

classic scottish. good service. there was a man dressed in a kilt playing the bagpipes during dinner. the oatcakes and butter are delicious and a great alternative to the usual bread rolls. the scotch egg was delicious. they actually deviled the yolk which made it taste a lot better than putting the mustard on the side of the dish. haggis is just how you would expect it. skip the fruit crisp. it tasted like it was previously frozen and just reheated; topping was soggy. the fried mars bar is something worth trying though. so is the date cake. read more

Excellent food, low-key atmosphere, unique drink selection, warm and receptive service. Can't praise this place highly enough, one of my favorites in town. read more

They've rotated out the Harpoon drafts!!! In with some more Scottish classics!

Burger. Fish & Chips. Cool Beer. Lovely Atmosphere. Thanks Jason! This is not a dieter's restaurant, so skinny minnies should turn around and go grab a water and some fro-yo at 7-11. This is yummy, warm pub fare with a Scottish accent. Lovely. (seriously, the burger is INCREDIBLE) read more

I cannot recommend The Haven enough. The food is fantastic. I eat here probably every other week. They have vegetarian meals, one of the best burgers in Boston, and the Fish and Chips are LEGIT. The ambiance inside is super chill. Perfect for date night or family dinner. It is just a really pleasant experience to enjoy a meal or beverage inside The Haven. On top of all of this, the owner is a genuinely good person that ALWAYS takes care of us. And, as would be expected, he knows his Scotch! Like I said I can not recommend this place enough. read more

YUM. We had some lag time before our friend got out of work so she told us to come here. We were the first ones in and started with a delicious bloody and then moved to some of their delicious cocktails. All the while, we ate a scotch egg, the fish sandwich and the sausage sandwich. The scotch egg - I could have eaten about 20 of those. The fish sandwich -one of the best I have ever had and that's saying something because I grew up on the cape. The sausage - very good, but kind of weird. It was homemade so the meat was, for the lack of a better word, squishy - kinda like mushy bread. The taste was good though. I would love to come back and see it while its really going because it seems like a great time! read more

Upon returning to Boston after our five-year reunion, a few bleary-eyed friends and I took shelter at the Haven. It was early afternoon on a weekday, and I think we were the only ones there - which is not surprising, as it is located in a quiet suburb and thus I can't imagine there being much of a 9-5 lunch crowd. (To their credit, they do serve lunch every day.) The owner-cum-server is actually from Scotland, so I'm happy my first time in a Scottish pub was somewhat authentic. Make that gastropub. We started off by ordering a round of cocktails - hey, we were on vacation. My libation of choice, the Maggie May, has cemented itself in my memory as one of my favorite drinks. Made of pineapple and lavender infused gin, grapefruit, honey and ginger ale and served in a mason jar (always seals the deal...), it was refreshing and light. Its list of ingredients could have leaned it too sweet, but nay - it almost tasted a bit diluted, like rainwater - and I say that in a good way. It went down easy, perfect for a dewy spring day. I don't remember too much about my sausage sandwich, except that it was satisfying and less overwhelming than it looked haha. I also appreciated the option to have an arugula salad on the side instead of fries. Girl likes her greens :) The best part of the meal was the surprise cake brought out at the end for the birthday girl among us, compliments of the chef! I'm not a big fan of the traditional yellow cake, so I couldn't contain my excitement when we got a just-made sticky toffee pudding punched with candles instead. It was divine! ("Pudding" across the pond being more of what we call cake here, than the custard-like, Jello-y concoction you might be thinking of.) There was also whisky in the confection, bookending our meal with some more swigs of liquor, that good friend of ours... If living in suburbia means lazy afternoons spent in cozy gastropubs with mason jar cocktails and Scottish ex-pats, why the hell not? ;) read more

I love this place! Great atmosphere, very friendly owner, and delicious food & drink. I love love love the burger. Whenever I want a burger, this place does it for me, every single time. Also the salmon dish is phenomenal, served with the most delicious beans ever. I don't know what they do to those beans but mine will never be as good! I've also had the chicken and the fish & chips - both very very delicious. Great Scottish beers on tap and they have a great selection of bottles. Everything you could need for a cozy dinner---and the bread that they give you at the beginning is super addictive! Lastly, please do yourself a favor and start with the tasty and amazing scotch egg!! read more

I have been fortunate to visit Scotland on two separate occasions and sadly, I was unable to have haggis that is the same as the one I had here. The pub offers some great unique Scottish beer and whiskey making you feel as if you're really in Scotland. If you're feeling adventurous, you should try their fried Mars. read more

The Haven - Haggis - Gastropubs Near Me - Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

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A gathering spot that evokes the feeling left behind in the UK years ago. Meeting up here for dinner and sips with friends I either met in the UK (or Ireland) or lived with. The Haven brought back many great memories while nibbling a classic fish and chips complete with mushy peas. The space is split into essentially two rooms open to each other. Mixed decor including; photos of Scottish wildlife, old school cafe chairs, lots of wood and Celtic supporting materials pasted to the bathroom wall serving as wallpaper. There is a fireplace that will most certainly enhance the mood in the cold weather ONLY it's awkwardly placed between the two rooms and not a focal point of the space in the current set up. Jayson (remember him behind Matt Murphy pub) remembers everyone and always keeps a killer soundtrack going. I noticed mostly Scottish based music too! (think Camera Obscura and Belle and Sebastian) On tap is a GREAT selection of beers/ales/lagers etc. including many Scottish specialties. Bummer that there is no alcohol...how will this place survive without being able to serve Scotch? I'm sure it'll do fine regardless! My dining partners had the scotch egg...sausage and mash. They though it was the best they'd ever had. Saturday in the summer was pretty quiet. Infant friendly early on. Saw a mix of young JP hipsters AND elderly folks out for a traditional taste of Scottish cuisine. Service was friendly but not EXACT...what you might expect for a pub. No parking but it's easy to circle for on street which is meter-less and 2 hour limited depending on time of day you visit. I see good things for this place. A sofa or other more plush seating area perhaps focused around the fireplace will make a fabulous winter addition to the Haven. read more

Love the atmosphere, love the drinks (and the Mason jars!), love the food, love Jason. It's all very very good. read more

Scotch eggs (2) were tasty, but maybe I expected a larger portion. For everyone's health, it's probably best that it wasn't. The warm Sherlock Holmes (citrusy, lemony, whisky-y) was really good but really strong. The mulled wine was nasty and tanniny and I would emphatically recommend against it. The whisky apple bits floating inside were sweet and pleasant. read more

I'm basing this review off a delicious gut busting Scotch Egg, good drinks, and some excellent afternoon banter with the bartender and a few patrons. read more

The Haven - If I had one of these Scotch Eggs every morning, that might be all I'd eat the rest of the day... - Gastropubs Near Me - Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

First time there and well worth it! I went alone and got a seat at a high top near the bar. Bar is first come first serve but was full when I got there at 6:30. Having said that, the host/ owner? (I believe) was very friendly and accommodating. He found me a stool and another group in front of me some seats even though none of us had reservations. You could tell he really cared about everyone and their experience. He is the guy at the front with the beard.. Must be the Scottish owner all the other reviews mention. Anyways.. Let me give you the highlights: - great Scottish decor/ soothing lighting/ lovely atmosphere - rotating menu depending on the season - extensive Scottish bear menu where it's easy to find something you like - VERY attentive staff/ waiters. - the Scottish sausage dish (last item on the entree list) was phenomenal. Tons of flavor and seemed authentic - cons: I believe they only have one bathroom (but they let us use the employee bathroom due to the long line which had empty legs in it.... Overall, excellent experience and a must try if you've never been. I think you may need to call ahead on weekends if you want an actual table. read more

I went there on a Wednesday night at around 8pm and it was packed. Just a few mins wait at the bar area and got seated at a table soon. I loved their mulled wine. The ambience was great. read more

Who would have thought you could find a delicious Scottish gastropub in Boston? Who knew a "delicious Scottish gastropub" was even a thing? The Haven is that thing. Our group had a bunch of different dishes and shared willy-nilly. Standouts included the devil's egg scotch egg (a spiced twist on the classic), black pudding with scallops (trust me, it worked), and the fish and chips. The haggis was tasty too... but I've had better. It was a little too loose and not mealy enough. The veggies were excellent, specially the mint pea mash. read more

Very cool little place. I wandered in with some friends after venturing to Jamaica Plain for the first time ever. We didn't know what to expect, but saw the beer menu and decided to hang around. Our waiter was charming, although I spent half of my time there wondering if he was in costume or just had a flair for fashion - his attire reflected the general ambience of the restaurant, but he was the only member of the wait-staff dressed this way, so who knows what was going on? Anyway, the food...myself and one of my friends ordered the fish supper, which was really, REALLY good. I was craving a buttery, fried, crispy meal, and that is exactly what I got. The fries were nothing special but the fish was so good that I didn't care about anything else on the plate. My brother and another friend got the burger, which looked juicy and delicious, and both of them raved about it. I would have gotten that had I been a bit hungrier, as it was absolutely massive. My brother also ordered a stout which he commented positively about throughout the meal. Another friend had the Frauch (spelling, I'm sorry?) beer, which looked like a pale ale, and my friend insisted was the most delicious brew he'd ever had the pleasure of drinking. His words, not mine. Overall, this was a fun place to spend a couple hours, and quite a bit of money - the bill came to at least $20 for those of us who went without drinks, and over $30 for those who drank and ate. The service was great and the atmosphere is unique. I would go again if I were to find myself in the area, but I probably wouldn't make a special trip. read more

The place had nice decor and atmosphere, staff and the service was lovely. After reading reviews online, we had high expectations but however our meals were a bit less than average. Our entree the scotch egg was a winner but that was the only high point in our meals. I had the vegetarian curry and partner had the fish and chips. My curry was very bland and a bit watery, after manually adding salt and pepper it still didn't help, it had no green curry flavour... The fish was over cooked and the chips had no salt, was more like potato wedges. read more

Absolutely the most underrated restaurant in boston. Every meal here (been 4-5 times now) is perfect to a T. Brunch here has amazing menu items with fresh ingredients with a substantial cocktail menu and dinner is authentic and delicious. Every time I visit I feel like I'm rediscovering a hidden gem. read more

Gastropub goodness w/ super friendly staff, awesome food and an extensive drink, beer & cider list. If you're into cider, need to check them out. read more

If I could give this place 6 stars I would! The staff members are all lovely. The food is always delicious, as are the drinks! The ambiance is super unique. Highly recommend! read more

The food is amazing! I had the scallop salad, in house made pickles and the haven burger . The burger is so juicy on a soft bun that somehow doesn't fall apart...these people know what they're doing! read more

Loved this place! I wanted to lick my plate and my date's plate. He had the fish & chips and I had the beef and ale pie. Both were savory and perfect. They also treated us to free oatcakes (sounds bad, but were VERY tasty) and some pickled things that were also delish. Alas, I hate myself for not saving room for dessert. The waitstaff was awesome- everyone from the host to the bartender to the waitress. I could definitely see myself returning many times. read more

The waitstaff is nice and mostly from the old Alchemist. The place is busy, and everyone seems to have a good time. I'm not impressed by the food and find that both times I visited I settled and was left unfulfilled. People seem to love this place but for me, not so much. read more

Fantastic atmosphere can be found at The Haven. If you want to be taken to another world, head over for drinks or dinner. It's so.... European. And that's awesome! I love the oatcakes that come to the table unrequested. They are strangling bland and yet intoxicating. Simple. Delicious. The sides that are veggie are noted as such, and I always get the trifecta: minted mushy peas, hand-cut chips, and braised purple kale. I am salivating just thinking of those three things together. Add in a Scottish Session or two, and it's a night. read more

What an absolute gem! This is the sort of restaurant that everyone dreams would open up in their neighborhood - consistently delicious food at a fair price, kind and caring waitstaff, homey feel, unexpected brews and libations, lively patrons, funky art ... where you can feel equally comfortable bringing your grandmother as you can your anarchist, nudist ex-boyfriend that used to dabble in heroin. I've been to the Haven twice now, once over the winter for some fabulously boosey mulled wine and tonight, for a most memorable dinner. Tonight the Haven was hosted a meet-up event for Reddit and it was packed. The Haven thrived off the nerdy energy and the kitchen churned out six FABULOUS dinners and my friends and I were in absolute nirvana. We all sampled each others plates and it was universally agreed upon that every dish we ordered was epicly delicious. (Update: 2018 - why did I go to a Reddit meet-up event??!?!?!? Who does that?!?!) Some restaurants have trouble managing large crowds and the food suffers and the management becomes flustered but not the Haven. The waitstaff was beyond charming and welcoming and really made us all feel at home. Sometimes, concerned waitstaff comes off as obnoxious and condescending, like the restaurant owners just want to pad their egos with positive feedback. There was none of that crap at the Haven. Just caring and genuine interest. Our waitress, Leana, was a total sweetheart and the owner was kind and funny and I wish the Haven many more years of success! Diana also rules (2018) And, I also wish that the Haven would open a second branch closer to my apartment in Inman Square. Everything was sooo sooo good and I know I'm going to start inventing reasons to journey to JP more often! read more

This place is great. It is casual environment, great food and decent prices. I really enjoyed their brunch. The Scotch Egg and Salmon & Ramp Scramble were both delicious. They also have a small bar area with a great selection of beer and cider. read more

I have gone here three times now and have loved it every time. All the food I have had has been absolutely delicious. The scotch egg when deviled is definitely a highlight, the lamb haggis is damn tasty, even the BLT has enormous pieces of thick cut bacon and really good bread. Everything down to the salads has been unique and a total treat. If you are there for dinner try the apple pie in a glass for desert, it is the perfect deconstruction of an apple pie as apple pie mead with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The deep fried mars bar is also good, one of those things you have to try once in life. Their imported beer selection is very good, I especially enjoyed the Skullsplitter Ale. The service is excellent, the bartender/waiter was the perfect mix of snarky, helpful and hilarious. The ambiance is fantastic, good music, interesting decor, good lighting. Overall this is one of my favorite places in Boston and I just wish it was closer. read more

I used to live off of Hyde Square, and the Haven was a regular spot for me. Scottish food doesn't have a glowing reputation, but I've never been disappointed by anything I've ordered from the Haven. The burger is bomb. The Scotch Egg, as well. They can only serve cordials, ironic for a Scottish bar, but they make decent cocktails with them. The staff is always super friendly, and the owner is a super nice guy. Great, local business for JP. read more

Stop reading and GO! I haven't been able to get food or beer like this since my trip to Scotland. Before the pandemic there were great bagpipe and fiddle performances! Save room for the fried Mars bar. read more

Such a fun atmosphere! Stumbled into The Haven during a Scotland vs England soccer match so the place was packed. Very friendly crowd! The complimentary oat cakes were so yummy. Definitely glad we wandered in here! read more