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    The Keep

    4.5 (153 reviews)

    The Keep Photos

    THE KEEP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - The Keep

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    Reviews With Photos

    Carrot Cake
    Brian A.

    Visiting for work came across this little gem. I ate two things the best chicken wings I ever had in my life and the carrot cake was amazing. I got the order to go and I had to drive about 15 miles back to my hotel room. We all know food does not travel well but these wings were amazing even after sitting in my car for 15 miles out of love to have them fresh and hot in the restaurant And my carrot cake was perfect. Just perfect.

    Dining room view toward the bar
    Anika E.

    The Keep is a Lowell GEM! The service was Outstanding. Matt took excellent care of us after a very long day of travel. My daughter had the gumbo, which was so flavorful. She loved every bite. I had the baked chicken, which was perfectly moist on the inside and crisp on the outside with little potatoes and they weren't kidding about the pan sauce. We arrived on west coast time, but the kitchen was gracious enough to dish up the carrot cake. It was AMAZING! Crisp edges with a dollop of cream cheese frosting and a side of cinnamon ice cream. WOW! The whole place made our day RIGHT.

    Cocktails menu (March 2022)
    Sophia L.

    Great bar with tasty drinks. Perfect place to top off a long work day. They have clever twists to classic cocktails that won't disappoint: I tried The Apothecary, Thyme After Thyme, and Death by Agave and thought they were all good.

    Drinks menu
    Andres D.

    Cool, classy, vibey bar. Friendly bartenders made it a nice place to hang out while waiting in the evening. Huge selection of beers and specialty cocktails was really cool, though I didn't get to try even half of what sounded great. For how good it was it was very reasonably price. Ambiance was excellent, with nice lowlight and a cool yet classy feeling. Strikes me like it would be a good date spot--and in fact, most of the other patrons appeared to be there on dates. Come check it out for a fun and/or romantic evening!

    Smoke & Guns and Jude the Dude - look at that garnish.
    Bill Z.

    I'm not sure I agree with the description of The Keep as a Whiskey Bar (unless, of course, the owners put that there). On their own website, they bill themselves as a "Restaurant and Pub" - which just happens to have a pretty decent selection of whiskies too. I did scowl a bit when I asked our waitress if there was a whiskey list, and she said there wasn't, but one was in the works. But all is forgiven after the delicious food and drink! The cocktails were interesting and varied, in the $10-$15 range. I almost wanted to take the garnish (in bloom!) from my first drink - a Jude the Dude - home and plant it, or at least muddle the mint leaves into a julep or something. On our second round of drinks we did order one scotch, and it felt like a good pour for the price. Many thanks to our waitress who worked with us through our questions on what scotches and bourbons were in their inventory. Many reviews raved about the wings, so I said we had to try them. You may now count me among those who will rave more. They were unbelievable, cooked to perfection with a unique spice rub, like nothing I've ever had before. Why aren't they entering these at local wing fests? We ordered a burger medium-well which came out well but was otherwise fine. I ordered the gumbo and was again ready to rave, enjoying the kick, the large shrimp and the andouille. Who knew you could get Southern charm out of a meal in Lowell? This was a very enjoyable visit and I hope to come back more often.

    Gumbo

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    2 years ago

    It's a great place if you drink. If you enjoy to have a cocktail maybe two then this is your place here in Mill City Lowell.

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    Amazing food. Nice place for a first date or 500th date night. Huge selection of top shelf bourbons for myself and gins for my lady.

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    So much potential. I really love the vibe of this place but still needs some fine-tuning with food + drink. Will def go back tho!

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    3 years ago

    Nice Whiskey Bar with Good German Beer. I recommend the wings. The remoulade makes a great dipping sauce.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Keep

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    Jefferson Speakeasy - Bottles and Portrait of Jefferson and the beautiful walls and bar

    Jefferson Speakeasy

    4.6(71 reviews)
    63.3 mi
    $$

    i was so very lucky to have had the pleasure of getting to try 9(!!!) courses at the oh so stunning…read moreJefferson Co. this past Sunday night! i have been a big fan of their first location, the Jefferson Speakeasy, for years because Alex (the owner) and his staff are truly unmatched. every conversation, every bite, every sip is genuine, purposeful and magical they have hospitality down to a science, the art of food and drink mastered, and the love for their RI community is truly one of a kind. who else invites a large group to a 3-4 course dinner, only to serve 9 well thought out dishes, served with craft cocktails, delicious sparkling rose, and smooth red wine so each sip and bite is unique and memorable. not to mention service was organized, systematic and seamless. guests felt at home--as all staff is beyond personable (per usual ) and all dietary restrictions were taken care of meticulously so that everyone's experience was special. i have honestly never seen anything like it in my life i don't stay out late on a Sunday night, especially in a state i don't even live in, so that is saying a lot about me attending this special tasting. my amazing server, Emery, knew i was getting antsy about it being way past my bedtime, and she packed our desserts to go, which was so appreciated as missing the banana foster was not remotely an option in my mind I look forward to many more wonderful experiences at this new location for many years to come.

    Went here with my parents for the first time after only hearing great things. The entrance is on…read morethe side of the building leading to the basement. Upon entrance is a doorman who is so friendly and accommodating! He found us an open table and checked on us throughout the night. The place was packed and they only had maybe 5 or 6 employees so the service was a little slow but understandable. I think the longest wait was about 20 minutes when we were waiting to get our initial drink order taken, but everything after that was fairly quick. For drinks I got a thin mint martini because they were out of the chocolate reuge martini I wanted. It was so yummy and came with 3 thin mint cookies. My mom got a pistachio martini and the Jefferson Tea. Both were pretty good but I wouldn't order again. My dad got Dead Mans Redemption which is good if you like bourbon. It comes with a wood topper and they light it on fire, let smoke fill in the drink, and then take the wood off. The drink then has notes of smoked wood in it which is cool. For food we got the crispy spring rolls and pepperoni flatbread. Both were so good!!!! It was absolutely worth the wait!!! I could eat the whole flatbread myself it was that good and I can't wait to go back and get another one. The crowd is definitely much older, not a lot of younger people around. It's a good date night for married couples. Overall it was a nice place and I would come back.

    Photos
    Jefferson Speakeasy - Dead man's redemption

    Dead man's redemption

    Jefferson Speakeasy
    Jefferson Speakeasy - Granada

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    Granada

    Ironside Whiskey - Bar area

    Ironside Whiskey

    4.6(7 reviews)
    88.1 miOld Port

    Although this is technically a whiskey bar, they have an afternoon high tea that I visited with my…read moremother and daughter. First off, this bar, located in the Regency Hotel, was so welcoming and comfortable. There were big comfy seats set up around small tables so if you were with a group of 4 it was a great spot to sit and talk while you ate or drank. The high tea is currently priced at $33 per person. We had a choice of a few different teas or coffee, and the tiered tray of savories, scones, and sweets. Each person received their own pot of tea, and you were able to get refills. The sandwiches were a smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese, and small lobster roll on brioche. There were two types of scones, with one being an Earl Grey tea glazed. There was a good array of sweets with several delicious Macarons, and other small petite fours. All three of us had plenty to eat with a few take-home items. Our waitress was very attentive and sweet. Best part is there is free valet parking so you don't have to worry about finding a spot in downtown Portland. It was a lovely afternoon and we would definitely do this again! Highly recommended!

    I stayed at this hotel recently and thought I'd try the whiskey bar. My wife works in a senior role…read morefor a major whiskey company and I've gotten to know the products quite well. I am also a member of a local Drammers club where I live. This bar has various whiskey bottle boxes littered throughout the window ledges of the bar and I saw a couple that I really like and that are not usually in what I would call "regular" whiskey bars (where the bar markets itself as a whiskey bar but only carries basic stuff). There was nobody in the bar at the time as it was early. So, I inquired with the bartender as to whether they had the products in the boxes (which are empty) and she said we have some stuff but not others and we have a menu that is not up to date. I said i'd come back as I had to make a plan with my wife as to whether any of the relatives traveling with us would join me after we put our son to bed. I returned to the bar probably maybe an hour later later with my mother in law (my other relatives when to get food and my wife watched our son in the room). I grabbed the menu booklet and saw almost none of the whiskeys displayed on the window sills. I was specifically looking at the Islays and it was honestly slim pickens in the menu. But, given the bartender said they had some stuff not listed in the booklet, I thought i would ask. I've been to many whiskey bars all over the world and bartenders are usually very helpful when you're looking for something or something similar if the bar does not have what you're looking for. We waited and waited and waited while the Bartender walked by us multiple times ignoring us. I finally walked up next to the bar and stood waiting to ask the Bartender a question. She was the only person working and obviously had stuff to do but literally appeared to be going out of her way to ignore me. There were a total of 5 people in the whole bar area, 2 of whom were eating dinner at the bar and 3 guys who had ordered (there were another 4 in the lounge area but they were fully served and just playing cards). That's it. I stood next to the bar for a full 10 min with no acknowledgment or anything. I could see some of the brand I was looking at on the rack but not the specific product so thought I would ask if they had anything else tucked away. Finally i got a "i'll be right with you" but by this point, I was pretty frustrated. Now, when I was in my early 20s, I worked in a bar and even bartended. I get being busy. But with this amount of people to not even raise your head for a second to acknowledge my presence when I'm 3 feet away from you until I literally had to stand there for a while...all while clearly seeing me was quite insulting. I walked back to the table and my mother in law and i decided to leave. She was watching the whole thing and wanted to complain to the hotel management but I told her not to. I see in other reviews the Bartender is highly praised. Maybe the she rhought I was a pest or not serious or something-i don't know. All I can say is this Bartender lost out on a nice tip as I usually order good stuff if they have it. Oh well, fortunately this did not take away from an otherwise excellent stay at the hotel and vacation in Portland.

    Photos
    Ironside Whiskey - Tea tier

    Tea tier

    Ironside Whiskey - Seating area near bar

    Seating area near bar

    Ironside Whiskey - A selection of bourbon

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    A selection of bourbon

    The Quiet Few - Fried pickles

    The Quiet Few

    4.6(122 reviews)
    23.4 miEast Boston
    $$

    90s music. Delicious hamburger. Crispy waffle fries. Downeast cider. Excellent service…read more Gwen, a bartender, was pleasant and very helpful since it was our first time there. We went with her recommendations and will definitely be back. Forgot to take pics but the fried pickles were great. Burger was juicy and delicious - forgot the name but the burger meat was a blend. We ordered a duck taco type appetizer. Not a taco because it was tucked in lettuce and not hot but the flavors were a nice blend. It's something I'd expect to taste at some Seaport spot not at a friendly neighborhood hang out. Pleasant surprise. I'd order it again. My friend was wearing her birthday sash so they brought her a cupcake and sang :) A lovely neighborhood gem we will definitely return to.

    I've been here twice for food and neither times have they disappointed me. Service is quick and the…read morebartenders are attentive even when it's packed. Daytime vibes are a lot more chill and relax, while the nighttime crowd gives the bar a buzzed, lively energy. The first order of food I got was a custom grilled cheese sandwich and I can say that was one of the best grilled cheese sandwich I've had so far. The second time, I got their smash burger. The patty was juicy and the burger was messy in every way you'd want a burger to be. The fried pickles was a nice complement to the entire meal, however their waffle cut fries were also delicious if you don't prefer pickles. Recommend getting their spicy mayo as well to dip the fries and burger.

    Photos
    The Quiet Few - Inside

    Inside

    The Quiet Few - Pickle backs - after

    Pickle backs - after

    The Quiet Few - Pickle backs - before

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    Pickle backs - before

    The Keep - whiskeybars - Updated May 2026

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