Chris R.

This place is definitely all about the crazy craft beer selection, but they do have a ton of interesting cocktails and some good food options as well. I probably wouldn't eat there since Lone Star is right next door, but it has the same problem as Lone Star in that it just gets absolutely jam packed so it can feel a little tight and tough to relax. Staff is polite and efficient but could be friendly. Not rude by any means though. Definitely would go back.

Alissa P.

I can't even count the times I have been here, or told people to come here if they visit me/the area. Deep Ellum is the best near me, and even better with it's sister next door Lone Star. Always great beer and wine selections, always awesome food. Their Bahn-Mi is great, but really HOT! I miss the vegan burger as well. Also, best soft pretzel beer cheese combo out of anywhere I have been, and I have gone many places to try the soft pretzels and cheese. Outstanding. The staff is friendly, sometimes service is slow but its small and ALWAYS PACKED, just enjoy the time with friends waiting for your food or your order. You always get a drink pretty quickly at least. Many Manhattan choices, it's a place where I learned to love Rye and old classics like a Sazerac. Great job to the owner, he knows his shit and he is present and will chat with you when he has a free moment. The chef as well, awesome. My favorite.

Connie H.

Ordered (brunch): - Deviled eggs - Truffled gorgonzola fries - Country fried steak - Duck confit Great service for a "hipster" joint and delicious food! My favorite was the deviled eggs and bf's favorite was the country fried steak (+ awesome beer on tap). Duck confit was slightly bland, definitely want to try something new next time :)

Brian B.

Very creative dishes that will bring out the inner foodie in everyone as well as a extensive list of beers, wines, and cocktails. The apps here are incredible, the poutine in particular is to die for. The only down side about this place is that the lunch/dinner entree selection is a bit limited. I recommend anyone in the Allston area should give Deep Ellum a try.

Francesca S.

All around awkward setting, there was no ambiance.. The bloody Mary's were wayyyy too spicy and the waitress was an absolute B. WE LEFT & WENT TO TAVERN IN THE SQUARE ... You guys should be more like them. Sorry I'm not a hipster betch...literal profiling.

Leanne C.

Sick of the Sunset crowd but don't want to sacrifice the ability to snag a good beer? Deep Ellum has you covered. My first note that I wrote about this place a year ago was, "The only place in Boston I've found so far that I 100% support their music choices." I still stand by that, AND their outdoor patio area, AND awesome door dudes and waitstaff. As a vegan, either side of this swell joint offer GREAT vegan noms (grilled avocado tacos OR vegan ice cream?!), but their menu is lacking. Should you care? NOPE. They make a mean old fashioned and some other crazy cocktails as well. Deep Ellum is at the top of my list for Allston nightlife any night. Not usually too crowded, no morons in sight (usually), and the patio usually stays pretty chill.

Thomas N.

lunch recently....smallish busy place with some outback outside seating...bartender very pleasant and helpful, kept those water glasses full....and glasses may be this places strong suit, excellent beer selection both drafts and bottles and really nice different cocktail selections, so you can say, oh i think i'll try a ward 8 which you may have not tried before and i did, and it was very good, as was my wifes drink, a tommy something....pretzel with cheese sauce excellent but 10$ for a pretzel, burger and tuna nicoise salad both excellent, though pricey.....small, excellent, great drinks and beers!!!

DOUGLAS D.

I had a pork milanese. It was a little dry but it came with sauce so whatever. My boo had a mac and cheese and we shared deviled eggs. Beer selection is snobby. Im sick and tired of "microbrews". Its no coincidence that the major beers are major beers... They taste great.... Craft beers taste like ass cheese They have a patio in the back and it was very nice back there

Jessica S.

I went to Deep Ellum for brunch this weekend and it did not disappoint. The brunch menu is a little small, but has all the basics / staples so I didn't feel it was really lacking. The space inside is small, but cozy and the service was good and helpful. I got the breakfast sandwich and my friends got the country fried steak and duck confit hash. We all finish our food, so that's saying something. The house-smoked kielbasa was perfect and just what I needed. Overall, good experience and good food, but not mind-blowing, life-changing, out-of-this-world. I would go back and recommend it to friends.

Wini H.

We went to celebrate a friend's birthday as a group of 4. With no reservations, we waited for a table and ordered drinks in the meantime. The wait wasn't terrible, although it was kind of awkward just floating between the tables and the bar (all the bar seats were full, and the restaurant is basically a long corridor) as we were blocking people trying to exit the restaurant and waiters with food. Finally, we got a table. This is a matter of personal taste, but I'm not a huge fan of the drinks menu here (more of a vodka girl, which they didn't have). Thus, after my first miss, I decided to go off menu and just order a basic Cosmo to test the waters. I can happily say they passed the Cosmo test, so if anyone has the same issue as me, just go off menu and see what they've got. (Just know what you want beforehand and don't pick anything too crazy as I don't think they will be able to offer anything too obscure.) To munch on, we got a duck fat poutine. It wasn't half bad, but the cheese "curds" were a little too rubbery and rich to go with the already rich gravy, of which there wasn't enough of (lots of fries that could have benefited from more gravy). I suspect if I were hungrier I would have liked it more, but not by much. The atmosphere is nice with a subtle Texan vibe. Deep Ellum is a charming addition to Allston, but I think because of personal taste, I wouldn't go back. However, I would encourage other people to give it a try, especially if you like whiskey and bourbon!

Sue P.

I've been here twice now for dinner and drinks, and both times have been excellent. For our first visit, my husband and I enjoyed a nice summer night on the back patio with some great cocktails and the yummy garlic truffle fries for an app. The salmon entree and the burger with the bacon jam on it were both delicious! The drink menu is interesting, and has some unique choices. I enjoyed the watermelon cooler and the iced cafe sancho -a nice strong drink that tastes like Patron xo cafe with whipped cream! They have a great selection of beer as well. At our next visit we hung out inside, which a friend of ours said reminded her very much of a Brooklyn bar. Very cozy atmosphere. We had to give the poutine a try and were not disappointed-the entire thing disappeared in minutes. Looking forward to trying this place out for brunch!

Julia C.

Funny thoughts on this place. This review is written purely on atmosphere, as we didn't stay long. My boyfriend and I read great reviews of Deep Ellum and we love checking out new bars, and trying new drinks/ food! We walked in and were immediately greeted by a pretentious, hipster hostess (wool hat included). We asked if we could just grab an open table or a seat at the bar and she looked at us as if we had ten heads and said it would be a while. She then proceeded to throw a menu our way and walked away. The place was packed, which we took as a great sign! Then hostess came back, pushed past us, and greeted the people behind us (we were guessing to be her friends) that arrived so she could seat them before us. We ended up just leaving to check-out a different place, as it seemed less like a cool bar/restaurant and seemed more like an invitation-only party, which we forgot to bring our ultra skinny jeans and wayfarers to. Oops- didn't get the memo.

Alex F.

My favorite part of going down to Brighton Music Hall for a show is getting to stop by Deep Ellum for dinner before-hand! They make great drinks, and especially their Aviation cocktail is one of the best in Boston (trust me I've had many!). Just the right color and amount of creme de violette to give it that sky-blue color it gets its name from. Also the food has plenty of options, but my favorite is the chicken-two-ways. A spicy Andouille sausage and a thigh where the meat falls off the bone yet the skin is still crispy and delicious.

John E.

Food was really good but quite spendy. They have a very good selection of drinks, but again expect to pay for them.

Barbara A.

My yelp adventure buddy Frannie Z. and I have heard a lot about this place and decided to venture over there when she was in the area. It was a nice day, so I found my friend on the back deck and it was not long when our waitress, Lily, was out and asking us for our order. Since I was not in the mood for beer or straight whiskey but did want something not too sweet but not too strong tasting, she steered me to the 1945 Pisco Punch made with Pisco, Pineapple Juice, Lemon and Bitters and it was lovely. When Frannie and I meet, we try to get a sampling of the menu and share our items. We started with the poutine and buffalo wings. The poutine was great ... the fries on their own were very good without being dried out but good enough to hold the cheese curd and duck gravy. The rosemary was a nice flavor touch. The buffalo wings were "crispy" and well cooked and the sauce was not too spicy so you could taste the flavors without the hot but it was not my favorite. It was good, just not my cup of tea. We decided to split the wurst plate entree. It is two homemade house sausages grilled to perfection. The day we went, the side was bangers and mash. I enjoyed the sausage and it was grilled they way I like it but the bangers and mash was not a favorite. I can not wait to go back to try other items and maybe something from the beer selection which looked really interesting.

B.M S.

One of my favorite bars in the country hands down. Amazing unique cocktails made with quality ingredients for the connoisseur, NOT the drunk college bro looking for natty ice or sugary drink to get frat babies wasted. Amazing selection of beers too, which they will let you sample and give you background info on. Really wonderful inside and patio, cozy and hip, always buzzing with young people. The fooooood too, damn. Are you like me and cure your hangover with an Irish coffee and meaty bready brunch? This is the place. It's expensive but you really are paying for quality in sort of a food wasteland. Reminded me of a bar I would find in Brooklyn ...but with less of the very loud apathetic sighs and bad fake vintage Ts. The only problem I've had and why I can't give five stars, and I've had it consistently which is weird, is that the bartenders/bussers snatch your drink away like...at light speed. Sometimes when you aren't done. Feels like they're trying to get you to leave? Sorta weird. OH and the bloody Mary's sucked. They have other great drinks so it's ok but get it str8 y'all, if ya got a brunch crowd, make a good bloody. They are not just for smokers cough drugstore sunglassesed grandmas anymore....they are also for ME.

C S.

Went mainly for the poutine based on reviews. Judy, I suggest you don't go back for the poutine because sadly, it was really poor. But the beer selection was excellent. Even at 6pm the place was loud. The fries (basic to the poutine and the steak frites) were not even average - more like from a frozen package. I've had better at McDonalds. That made the poutine into a sodden mess (yes, the cheese and gravy were tasty). The steak was very tough. Worst, they brought the mains before we were near being done with the aps, forcing us to either give up the plates with the unfinished aps or push them aside to make room for the mains - hard to do on their tiny tables. The pasta was good though. This is my first review. I only did it because it was so disappointing - on most all fronts.

Sydney L.

I have been a few times. The menu is fairly limited, but the House Burger is exceptional (I'm fairly certain they cook it in bacon grease). If you're in the mood for a burger- definitely go! Nothing else wowed me. Happy eating ;)

Allie G.

Hands down my favorite place in Allston. Everything has that handcrafted feel - the drinks, the food, the decor - it's a true gem. I've been here for brunch a good amount of times, and also for an early dinner once or twice. Everything on their menu is to die for - but my favorite item to splurge on is their french toast. Literally the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. *that's what she said* The sangria is delicious, the mimosas are mimosas (kind of pricey...) and the Bloody Marys are great too and I don't even like Bloody Marys! They also have an awesome patio outside, perfect for the spring/summer. Basically - just the best place ever.

Lisa A.

Great food! We had a fantastic meal. The only downfalls are the tables are really tight and the music is a little too loud. But otherwise a good meal at a decent price.

Rebecca U.

Very solid bar/restaurant in Allston. Really great list of cocktails and beers on tap AND even better food! I had the moules frittes as my meal and it was really delicious. Usually this dish would be served as a plate of mussels and a side of fries but at Deep Ellum they do it differently. The french fries are actually included in the actual bowl with the mussels, so it was an interesting mix of crispy fries and also drenched fries found in the white whine sauce, I would definitely recommend this dish and it would be great to split as an appetizer or as a main course. The only small negative is that it is a tiny little spot so everyone is packed in and it gets quite loud. I found myself yelling across the table just so that my friend could here me, but that is truly the only problem. If you are looking for a fun and relaxing environment with good food and drinks, this is the spot for you. If you are looking for a place to have an intimate dinner where you can whisper sweet nothings, this might not be the spot for you.

Melissa A.

I really love the drinks (and the fries here). My only complaint is that it's so so so loud. It's impossible to hear what the person across the table from you is saying. I love a loud bar but for such an small and intimate place, deep ellum could stand to turn down a little bit.

Charlotte S.

I've always loved this bar. They have an outdoor patio for those bearable summer nights, a small hand-selected menu that makes me feel like they've got their shit down (and like i'm not at the friggin cheesecake factory), fancy cocktails using liquors I've never heard of, and a massive beer list. I'm obsessed with the gorgonzola truffle fries. If I knew how to replicate the gorgonzola truffle fries, I would save myself so much money. I heard they recently switched up the menu a bit - I really loved the Vegan Burger but I don't think that made the latest cut. The only thing I can't stand, that they can't really help, is that it gets really crowded very fast, even on weekdays sometimes. Also, I love going there for brunch (served everyday from 11 to 4) because you can't go wrong with a $5 plate of eggs and homefries but the bloody mary feels like a rip off. $9 for a BM in this short high ball glass stacked high with ice and garnished with a pathetic pickled green bean. Is it because it's flecked with fresh ground peppercorn? Come on, give mama a bigger cup for that price.

Peter B.

Coolest bar in the neighborhood. It's kind of hipster-y, but they have some dope mixed drinks and OH MAN THE POUTINE. I had seriously never had poutine until a few years ago when I went to Canada the first time, and I'd always been like "Poutine sounds dumb." Well, folks. That was wrong. I was dumb. Deep Ellum has poutine, and it's delicious. I suppose all poutine is delicious (it's french fries smothered in gravy and melted cheese, I mean c'mon). So get the poutine. Also, their Sangria is bitchin'. There's some brandy in there or something, I don't know, but it's delicious. Man, now I want poutine. Maybe I'll go to Deep Ellum tonight.

Caitlin W.

My boyfriend and I were in the market for a casual Sunday brunch outside of our usual repertoire. After browsing Yelp for suggestions, we decided to check out Deep Ellum since their menu offers more than the typical omelet and burgers. We found a parking spot right out front and were quickly seated out on the patio. Atmospherically, Deep Ellum is Allston at its core. A haven for hipsters, the bar itself is long and skinny, and you'll find yourself getting close to your neighbors as you nestle into your table. The food is decently-priced, but taste-wise, it's simply ok. We had the breakfast burrito and biscuits and gravy, and both were palatable but a bit bland for our liking. The cocktail list is inventive, and my manhattan was delicious and perfect for a Sunday brunch. There was a pretty heated discussion regarding the complexities of lentils going on to our left but other than that, it was a nice, relaxed morning. Deep Ellum is a good place to check out if you're in the market for a solid brunch or a few beers. Check it out of you're in the area!

Kenneth P.

Only a decent brunch spot if you are seriously hung over. I ordered the duck hash and it was insanely greasy. There was sand in my water. Being a New Yorker, I hold a high standard for water. Did the owners just get it from the beach or is the tap water that filthy?

T T.

Got sick off their appetizers. Stay the f away.

Devon R.

This place is almost perfect, it's a cozy little bar (formerly Reel Bar) with great food and an awesome beer selection. The fact that they play awesome music just tops that off. Went there last Friday and they played and entire album from Spoon followed by Arcade Fire. Music is played at the perfect loud volume that makes you happy to listen, but not so loud you can't talk. Only reason this isn't 5 stars is the beer is a little on the pricey side, even for what they offer. I'd really give this 4 1/2 but for that reason alone it isn't 5 stars. If you're in the mood for a cheap drink they do have $3 'ganset cans though, so can't complain there. The gorgonzola fries are rockin btw, def try those.

Christopher M.

Came back here a couple weeks ago for brunch. The food was awesome. I went with a duck confit hash - pretty amazing. We also enjoyed some appetizers and cocktails. All of the cocktails were, once again, spot on. Service was attentive. Definitely recommend it here for drink and food. Looking forward to going back.

Angela P.

Excellent food and staff. We had a fry fest. We tried the skillet fries with sausage gravy and a perfectly cooked egg on top (yum). We also tried the Gorgonzola Truffle fries, extremely decadent and delicious. This will always be our first stop in Allston.

Brendan M.

Went here on my birthday one year early on in the night having read that they carried absinthe. It got legalized in Mass. fairly recently and I was always curious. Me, my roomie and his girlfriend sat at the bar and had a cute blonde girl for a bartender (automatic points). In spite of her hair color, she was really sharp and knew a lot about the absinthe she was serving up for us. As she did the process of pouring it over a sugar cube and so on, she told us some interesting tidbits about the drink itself, dispelling some common misconceptions about tripping on it along the way. We only had one shot because it didn't taste very good, but I felt like I had done about 3 whiskey shots after a little while. They say something about the first shot reveals who you want to be, the second shot reveals who you try to be and the third shot reveals who you really are. something like that. maybe that was a van gough quote i just butchered. anyways, this is a classy bar, plain and simple. It's a little off the beaten path in Allston, further down brighton ave. than most bars on the main strip. But this place is worth a little stroll. It is clean, nicely lit and apparently there is a summer patio out back. I haven't checked it out yet, but I guess it's pretty popular. This could be a good date spot, but on a regular night out look to start here (maybe with a shot of 'sinthe?) and then move on to more options as you get closer to the Allston epicenter. And don't just go next door to the Model either. The crash in standards will just be too much.

Marlo L.

I love this place. Tough to decide between it and the Publick House. In the summer this place wins because of the deck. Great beer selection. Limited but very good menu. Highly recommend to beer lovers and foodies.

Colin N.

Im a sucker for gastropubs. When I used to take the 66 to work, I passed Deep Ellum every day and never went in because from the outside it looks like a sketchy bar in Allston. Inside, there is lots of wood, cool floors, brick walls and dim lighting. The layout isn't cozy but it's spacious and still possible to have a nice dinner. I'm going to go back for brunch, but have only tried dinner here thus far. The cocktail menu has drinks with egg whites in them. I tried one, and it was surprisingly good. The food menu is gastropub interesting, but some main dishes (like the duck) didn't look like a complete meal. Portions were also on the smaller side. I can't help but compare Deep Ellum to "Green Street". If you want the BEST gastropub dinner experience in the area, go to Green Street and eat by or at the bar. If you're over on the other side of the river, head to Deep Ellum.

Patrick C.

The only thing that makes me hesitant to write a good review about Deep Ellum is that I am afraid it will blow up and then it will be difficult for me to get a seat at the bar. But, this is by far my favorite place to go out in Boston, in fact, so much so- I rarely get out much- and every time i do go out, I end up at Deep Ellum. When you walk in there mid day, and Princess Bride is on the TV and they are playing some of your favorite music, that you thought no one else has heard of, thats when it feels like home. The staff extremely intelligent, cordial, professional and helpful, and the food is amazing. I really believe that they have the best chicken wings i have ever had in my life, and i found that out after going there for two years. So go there, say hi to the wonderful people working there and order anything of the menu and it will be fabulous. Deep Ellum is the only place that makes going to Allston worth it. And yes, Deep Ellum makes going to Allston worth the trip, and there's always tons of hipsters to watch and laugh at, especially at the model, which is right next door. Oh yeah, best cocktails, best beers, best bartenders, nuff said.

Alison B.

As a new transplant from Chicago, I am searching for places that fulfill my desires for good food and beer in Boston. Deep Elum has now set the bar high. My advice - try the mussels. They are fantastic. My boyfriend (who isn't a mussels fan) agreed with my opinion, and the added fries and truffle aioli drizzled on top was a lovely way to sop up the sauce. The staff was knowledgeable on the beer list, and I also liked the dark wood and simple decor. I will definitely be back.

Michelle W.

This place is FANTASTIC!!!! Seriously, amazing. I came here for a friend's birthday brunch, and was not disappointed. The food is delicious. I had the duck confit hash, and it was incredibly tasty. I asked them to hold the egg (allergy), and it was still good. No one gave me a hard time about leaving the egg off or anything. I sampled the chicken fried steak off someone's plate, and it was AWESOME. I might have to get that next time. SO GOOD. The mimosa was good, I tried my friend's margarita and that was also delish. Service was quick, accurate and friendly. The place is unique and funky. Definitely highly recommend a visit here....I will certainly be back!

Jennifer F.

I like to pop in here during daylight hours before all the people with ironic beards and plaid shirts come in. Limited menu but I only come in for 2 things: 1.) Fries with truffled gorgonzola. Oh. My. God. 2.) Cranberry Lime Rickey. Most of the drinks are what I'd call "upscale macho." They serve a lot of fancy beer and comfort food like chicken and dumplings. Their veggie burger is not a gardenburger but actually like a fried wad of veggies. (Pretty good.) I do hate that the music is blasted even before it turns hipster o' clock. There is limited seating, and they are just hardwood benches, so don't plan on staying for 3 hours unless you want a bruise on your bony ass. Staff and service are pretty awesome. Ive never felt rushed or abandoned.

Alison Z.

Beer cheese! 2 of my favorite things come together in perfect harmony here. Add some fresh baked pretzels, and you'll never order a different appetizer again. But don't get too full, 'cuz the homemade vegan burger is the best in the city. (Seriously, I've tried them all.) It's not tough, but not too mushy, as many tend to be. Their beer selection is the main reason people like this place, and it is good, but I'm all about the food.

Michael B.

5 stars for the tap list alone. The food is great too, though. Throw in a great vibe, and you've got one solid place.

Michael C.

The beer selection is of the highest quality and variety in Boston. The cocktails are simply on another level when compared to the watered-down or poorly made concoctions you will get most other places around town. And, the food is very good for the kind adventurous upscale pub grub they're looking to serve. I personally enjoy the simple, unassuming ambiance of the place. This is largely because of the extremely friendly service and the layout. It is a small place and given that there are no columns, separate rooms, or little nooks, you can literally see everyone; there's no place to hide in Deep Ellum. The only issue one might have with Deep Ellum is the price. While it isn't expensive, it isn't cheap either. The standard Appetizer + Entree + Drink adds up much more quickly here than other places. This then places Deep Ellum in the same price class as some very good restaurants around town, but without quite the same attention to the dining experience as you'd get at a restaurant for around $35+. However, if fancy yourself as any type of beer/liquor snob, stick to the excellently prepared small plates and appetizers for food, load up on drinks, and you will not be disappointed.

Alyssa N.

A bar with bartenders who really can help when you aren't sure what you want to drink. This is a valuable to a business centered around drinking and making people happy. The food menu looked great, as did the food that I saw some people around me eating. TV was tuned to VH1 Classic, which provided great fodder for conversation with the friendly people sitting at the bar on the Sat. I was there. Can;t wait to return. Friends and I decided that it seems kind of like a bar one might find in JP (Alchemist, James Gate, Jeannie Johnson), but is in Allston-Brighton.

Joel M.

Both food and drinks are tops...

Fred L.

I spent 3 months touring Boston bars and this is my favorite. This is a beer drinker's paradise. Deep Ellum does not have the largest beer selection around, but I don't think they have a bad seed among the bunch. You simply can't go wrong. I've only had appetizers there, but the deviled eggs and the best wurst are fantastic.

Kristin G.

I normally wouldn't toss in a review when the place already has almost 300, but i had to comment on how great the drinks are at this place. The service was a bit blase- maybe it's the hispter allston factor that y''all are referring to- but the food and drinks were great. I'm not in the Allston area all that often, but it's worth a trip just to check out the cocktails. I had a chartruse flavored martini and it was marvelous. I can't comment on how packed it gets- I went with a friend on a random afternoon/early evening, but i can imagine that the place gets mobbed because it's so tiny!

Sarah C.

This bar is the namesake of an area in Dallas, TX called "Deep Ellum" where a lot of people go for live music, bars, and tattoos. Maybe I'm partial to Deep Ellum because I'm from Dallas, but really, it just makes me a tough critic. I'm not sure what this place has to do with the real Deep Ellum, but I haven't asked anyone. The drinks are great, the music is good, and the service is friendly and accommodating. Some of the food is a bit pricey, but there are a few quintiscential bar-food items you can get on the cheap. I've been twice so far, and the first time was a Friday night. It was PACKED, but immediately an employee made room for us before we even had a chance to become dumbfounded. Seriously good service. The second time was after work, and we had the place to ourselves. I'm sure there will be a third.

Jason R.

Hipster City, but that's ok. Food is a touch on the pricey side, and so are drinks, but you are paying for quality, not swill. Very knowledgeable bartenders and an awesome outdoor patio in the warmer month. This is one of my favorite places to go to in Allston.

Matt T.

A great night hanging on the deck with my pal Fat Jack. Service was excellent and on point. Refills graciously offered when my glass had 1/4 left ...fast, and friendly. The Best Wurst plate was delicious and I highly recommend it. Their beer choices on draft were way above average and had a nice bottle collection. Thumbs up!

Seth B.

First off: Back deck patio! On a nice day, this is a must. You are sitting closely to all your neighbors here but it's worth being outside. The staff here is great. Very friendly, knowledgeable and around when you need them. The duck fat confit pork belly over grits is to die for. The duck sausage with rhubarb mustard...really tasty. Deviled eggs had an original taste that I couldn't put my finger on. Maybe a little fish sauce mixed with the normal ingredients. Not sure. Someone else have an idea on this, who's tried them? As a note: This probably would have been 5 stars but for a small thing. Some may think it's trivial but we ordered the appetizers and the entree at the same time to split them between us. The appetizers weren't at out table but 2-3 minutes when the entree came. It's not too hard to space that out a little more. Otherwise awesome. Cocktails where tasty as anyone who's come here just for them knows. A pretty decent beer selection to boot. Well worth a visit.

Joe S.

Edit-They now accept credit cards, budget beware! Great Beer selection and killer cocktails (the gin fizz is eggy creamy goodness). And the food rocks too. Best Wurst plate was flavor-riffic and brunch features a kick arse breakfast burrito (with awesome sausage) and sweet bread french toast. Plus draft beer before 12 on sunday morning? Sign me up (with a mimosa to get me started). Seating is limited so get there early/off times for dinner but brunch on sunday didn't seem too crowded around 11/12 when we went. Also I believe it's cash only.

Dan H.

I have been to Deep Ellum a few times, every time leaving loving the flavors of my plates, beers, and desserts, and thinking of the next opportunity I will have to indulge myself there. Their sausages are excellent, and a unique flavor from other restaurants in the area. Every day they have new options for both their appetizer and entrée sized sausage plates, made fresh and flavorful. Another exquisite appetizer is the moules frites, or mussels and fries. They are packed with flavor and the left over broth is a great dipping sauce for the accompanying bread (or any left over mussels). Another great starter option is the ever-changing charcuterie plate filled with meats, cheeses and pickles. Every salad I have ordered has also been great, especially the tuna ni coise , with large pieces of tuna steak. All of these plates are delicious and affordable, leaving you anxious to taste the next course. For entrees there is always the option of the Best Wurst plate, which truly lives up to its name by delivering a consistently tasty and filling sausage option. I have eaten the steak frites, which is cooked to perfection and accompanied by a tasty and large helping of fries. The best thing I have eaten there is without a doubt the lamb shank, which for a lamb-lover like myself is a true treat. This dish is cooked so that the meat literally is falling off the bone in pieces made for your mouth and comes in a large enough helping that it is a task to finish it (but a task well worth trying). On a less hungry day you cannot go wrong with the burger either, which is cooked just the way you like it, and delivered on a mouth-watering bun, packed with toppings so that it is another challenge to fit it in your mouth. All of these are dishes can be finished with their special dessert of the day (I do not think they have a set dessert menu). I have trusted this dessert on each visit, and every time I have been pleasantly surprised by the presentation and flavor which the dessert had me walking out the door experiencing. Obviously an extensive beer list is a large part of Deep Ellum's appeal. They have beers from all over the world and in every style so that any beer lover, or beer snob, will be able to find something new. Their cocktails are also delicious. I cannot wait for them to open up their patio as the weather gets warmer, but even in the colder months their atmosphere is cozy and fun, good enough for a dinner with parents or a classy date. Deep Ellum is highly recommended for food, drinks, or both, with every experience being excellent, leaving me wanting to come back as soon as possible.

C. S.

There's nothing else I could say that would in any way further enhance Deep Ellum's reputation. Go there. It rules.

Sally F.

I've never eaten the food here, but the atmosphere is great. The music is good, very chill (at least on the Thursday after-work slot when I was there) and they've got a few ciders to choose from. Bonus for the sparkling wine in a serving size can! Talk about a party...personal champagne CANS! Just avoid sitting in that "booth" by the window on a cold day...you'll be rocking the down coat with your furry hood up while sipping cider and that's rarely a good look.

Brendan S.

Great drink selection. Enjoy the draft rotation and friendly staff. Food is definitely quite good as well. Wouldn't mind more diversity in the music though...Bring your own iPod Thursdays? Much less crowded than other Boston beer spots. Highly recommend that everyone check this place out.

Sally D.

Great place to get a drink seeing as the drink menu is about 6 times the food menu. Outstanding staff. The bar tenders know everything about the beer they serve. When asked what I wanted to drink, I was looking at the tap list and having a hard time deciding. The bartender politely asked me what I was in the mood for and suggested a beer that was exactly what I was looking for. The food is great too. We got the pate plate and it was awesome. I have yet to get a meal there, but Im sure when I do I wont be let down. Its small though, so be warned. When we got there there were not two seats together at the bar, the bartender saw us looking and took a minute to bring out a stool and politely ask a woman to move her purse and coat from an unoccupied stool, making room for us and our night. Thanks Deep Ellum for being awesome.

Lexy K.

I hate bars, but I LOVED this place. Only went here because some friends from Texas wanted to check out a place named after a section of Dallas, but I can't wait to go back. This place was just so cool. The atmosphere was really nice. Very dark but in a relaxing way. The music was awesome, and not very loud. The crowd seemed like cool people in their late 20's and up. This was nice because I am used to bars being filled with 21 year old morons. The atmosphere was very calm and laid back. The cocktail menu struck me as really cool. I am not very knowledgable about alcohol, but it definitely seemed like they have some unique drinks I have never seen at a typical bar. I got a the yummiest drink that kind of tasted like egg nog, it was called something like a vanilla flip I think. It was seriously good! My friend's drinks tasted amazing also. The service was also wonderful; our waiter was really nice and helpful. I didn't even realize they offered food, but for the drinks and atmosphere this place definitely deserves 5 stars. I feel like we discovered the coolest little gem!

Rachel W.

Really delicious food at reasonable prices (the charcuterie plate, crab and corn fritters, rootbeer braised pork belly and the deviled eggs all exceeded our expectations), and delicious, fun cocktails (I had the Seelbach and the Ward 8, both were wonderful and my friend had one of their Manhattans which was the best we'd ever had). In addition the staff were all really friendly but not overly so. Will definitely be coming back here.

Bradley D.

I was skeptical at first to go to Deep Ellum, since the Model and the Silhouette are so close and so much cheaper, but my friends were set on Deep Ellum so I followed suit. When we got there we quickly got a table on a busy night and were served drinks fairly quickly. I liked that they had some nice beers on tap, but if I was running low on cash I could also grab a tall boy of Nargansett. The selection was nice and the staff was pretty friendly. They were pretty coaster crazy though. Any time there was not a coaster under a glass a waitress/waiter was on it like white on rice. In the end I ended up getting drunk, not dropping too much money, and had a good time. What else does someone want really? No darts or pool if you need to be doing something while drinking but definitely a good place for some good conversation and drinks with friends.

Albert H.

Excellent selection of beers in this place with fairly good service. Nice atmosphere as well. Not as many choices as others in the area, but what they do have is fantastic. I enjoyed my pint of the Hoptimator for sure!

Sam S.

I really like this place. They play good music, the food is tasty (the angus burger with gorgonzola is win), and the staff is really friendly. Now that there's a deck outside, I'll be going more, since my one problem is that it's too loud. They crank up the music and it's hard to talk without yelling. My guess is that they do it because it's small, so they want to make it seem jumping all the time. I don't get that though, because it's always busy. Why try to create that feel artificially? Drinks wise it's good, too. Their changing beers on tap are always good with a nice variety, and the staff is always knowledgeable about them. It should be noted that "DJ" is misleading, since most of the times I've gone, they just play full albums, which is fine. As I said, it's a nice selection of music.

Evan L.

so i've been a couple times since. most of their food really is pretty good. one of the waitress' i had was super nice, and she was great, we left her a good tip. unfortunately, the last time i came here a couple of unexpected guests showed up to eat/drink as well, which made things quite confusing as they of course decided to not bring cash on them and 3 of us were using vouchers(found out buywithme.com ) for 40 dollars of food for 20 dollars -- and this was all we planned on spending. i won't go into the details of the issue, but our waitress didn't have much patience with us in general while we were figuring things out, and told us "i have things to do" and was extremely hesitant to put several of our drink orders through as she was unsure if the bar would be able to make them. our total bill was well over 150 dollars, and i don't understand why we had any attitude. having waiting experience under my belt, i felt bad for the girl at first because WE were unorganized, but after apologizing on our behalf for making her stand around for 15 seconds and making a joke about it, i figured she woulda just lightened up a bit. she didn't and acted annoyed for the rest of our time there, which kind of ruined it for us. we felt rushed and it just wasn't cool. it sucks because i don't think she represented this place very well. i have high standards for restaurants and i understand not every restaurant is going to have the quickest service, the most amazing meal every time, etc.... but it is isn't that hard to suck if up if you're a waiter or waitress. after all, we're the one's tipping you....

Sham Y.

I will say upfront I don't have much to review because we only had one drink each at this place. It was a Saturday afternoon and we had already had lunch. We had read lots of good reviews about this place and decided to stop in since we were right there. We each got a pretty decent whiskey sour. The problem with the place was that when we ordered, the waitress acted like we were the biggest alcoholics in the world for ordering whiskey and no food. I've never been a bar where drinking was judged like that. It doesn't seem like a good business model.

Laura M.

Wow, I really liked this place. I came in after work on Friday to grab a bite before partying at Do Re Mi down the street. I sat at the bar by myself where the attentive and friendly bartenders took good care of me wihout being intrusive as I eventually started to read at the bar (yeah I'm a weirdo). There was a big after work crowd which then thinned around 7:00 and picked up again for the night crowd later. I hung out for like 2.5 hours, so I got to see the whole thing evolve. I had two beers (one a cream stout on nitro) and a really really delicious cheeseburger (great fries, too), then moved to a table where I ordered a Jack Rose cocktail. This was tasty! Applejack-based drinks and me, who knew? The house-made grenadine really makes a difference. By the time I finished my book and wandered off to karaoke it up I was nicely buzzed. Prices were reasonable -- the beers I had were $5.50 each but there were options above and below that price range; the cocktail was $8 and the burger was $9 (less if you don't get cheese). The location is a little awkward, but you can get there easily on the 66 bus from Harvard Sq/Coolidge Corner, or walk from the Harvard Ave stop on the B line. If it was more conveniently located I'd go all the time. This is a place I'd like to take my friends to for a drink and delicious pub grub, but unfortunately it's kinda small so I'll have to take them one at a time.

Ligaya T.

You know, by all the rave reviews, I expected something ridonkulous. This spot is quality in every way but lacks distinguishing character. A rotating collection of works from local artists would up the caliber a bunch in my mind, and take it from a place to have a pint after work to a spot where you want to chill and converse. Nevertheless, the gorgonzola fries are awesome and the beer list is massive. And our server was just a darling. I should also note, that before I got there my female friend (the only one in the bar) had been the prey of all the land. So ladies, if you'll looking for a wink and a smile, and if you work it right, dinner, come here before 7:30.

Tristan B.

Great beer and drink selection (La Chouffe on tap) and I'm a huge beer and drink snob. I had the Dogfish I.P.A. and of course my favorite La Chouffe. Can't get enough of that wonderful... Chouffe? Good service, I was there on business (you know you're a hip, cool hipster graphic designer when you're having business meetings at a place like that), and we were in the middle of discussing things and our waitress was more than accommodating to our paper shredding needs. I like that. I had a Black Agnus Burger and... it was certainly edible, but I didn't sit back and think to myself "This is so much better than what they have at Big Kahuna burger." We ordered an order of spicy wings, EXTRA SPICY, and I'm a pretty milquetoast little white-boy who can't handle any sort of spice (much to the stir fry girlfriend's dismay). and I didn't have a problem with them at all. Extra spicy? Not so much. I'll more than likely to come back once in a while, but when I have Bukowski's in Inman, and the Miracle Of Science just a few blocks away, I don't know if I'm willing to make the bike trek to Allston.

Suzanne C.

Loved the music and the delicious beers on tap. Cisco Winter Warmer made these cold nights much more bearable. My friend and I did have to wait quite a bit to be waited on and to close up the tab. They were busy, but not busy enough to continuously keep passing us by sitting right at the bar. I don't know that I would really suggest it for groups as it's not a very spacious bar, but definitely a cool atmosphere.

Cassandra B.

This place is one of my favorites! Great food, staff, and music. I would recommend the sloe gin fizzes, the french fries, ramos gin fizzes, and the aviations. The craft beer selection is great. It gets a bit crowded but you can usually get in around the bar and tables open up frequently enough.

James M.

Great food, better beers, and an outside patio that is rare in this area. If you don't mind rubbing elbows with hipsters than I'd say its worth checking out

Kevin F.

Capsule review: It's a popular night out. You want good beer, and maybe some fries with delicious cheese. Sunset has a 2 hour wait. The Publick House has a line that wraps around and out the door. It's very likely that there are at least 2 tables open at Deep Ellum. Score.

Jackie V.

Yay! Finally a bar that gets some respect in Allston! Deep Ellum has a very chill atmosphere and drinks you won't find in the other neighborhood haunts (apparently, this originality comes at a slightly higher price the the rest of Allston, but it's worth it). Food-wise, they cater to just about every palate (honestly-I didn't even get crazy looks when I ordered "just a hot dog on a plate...and maybe a few plantains on the side") and the kitchen is open late, which is a plus. The drink selection is impressive; not only do they have a menu that lists several decade-old drinks that kids here have never heard of, they have a nice beer selection for the beersperts that venture away from Sunset. And, as everyone has pointed out, the bartenders can whip up something that you're in the mood for, and can suggest several types of drinks for those who just don't know what they want besides "something tangy". As a former bartender, I really appreciate this aspect. Bottom line: there is nowhere else in town that you can sip absinthe cocktails and munch on vegan burgers like Deep Ellum.

Amie R.

Such good food!! The beer is excellent to, but the food.... I can't say enough. I had brunch there too and it was pretty good (I prefer their dinners). The bartenders there are some of the nicest around, and always have helpful suggestions. This is SUCH an improvement over Reel Bar. The food and drinks aren't overly priced, either. Good music always seems to be playing, and the atmosphere is very relaxed.

Kyle S.

If you hate hipsters, stay away. But if you don't mind them this is the place to go. Their food is delicious and their beer selection is second to none. I would recommend the cheese plate, a cheeseburger or their calamari. It is best to get their early if you want a table because the place fills up quick and turnover can be very slow. In the summer they also have a GREAT patio out back.

V Y.

Great beer selection! (On tap and bottled) I've been here serveral times for starters and beer. The charcuterie plate, wings, deviled eggs and fries has always been good. Really want to try other food on their menu! Heard it's amazing! The bartenders are always really nice and helpful with beer selections and tasting. I've never been here really late on a busy night so never came across crazy crowds or moody bartenders. (Lucky me!)

Anonymous P.

An unsnobby place for beer and cocktail snobs. Food is much better than you would expect. I would like to give a sixth star for exceptional quality. Examples of world class beers on the beer menu: Rochefort 8, Alesmith Speedway Stout, A Le Coq Imperial Stout, St Bernardus Tripel. Many more quaffable pleasures are on draft. The cocktails are made correctly with classic ingredients. The owner and staff are intelligent and knowledgeable about beers, liquors, and cocktails. Don't assume the food is ordinary bar food. The fries with malt vinegar and sea salt are fabulous, as are the chicken empanadas and the pretzels with mustard dip. Even a fairly complicated dish--Israeli couscous with shrimp and lobster--was delicious. This is food I would be happy with at pricey bistros.

Charoline D.

I went here last night on fellow yelper's recommendations after finishing dinner at Grasshopper a block away on N.Beacon. When we walked in, there was no cover charge and they were playing Social D. 'Nuff said. The music selection was fantastic, everything a girl like me could dream and they had my favorite beer Dogfish Aprihops on tap! We initially sat at the bar, but as the rest of our party filed in, we moved to one of the benches along the side of the wall where we were promptly greeted by our very attentive cocktail waitress. Only complaint: the ladies' room's sink has two temperatures, SCALD AND 3RD DEGREE BURN. It appears that the cold water faucet was malfunctioning. UPDATE 9/23 I love this bar so much that I came back to elaborate. Liz and I strolled in after the Allston Street Fair for what we thought we wanted. A Magners on ice. They don't carry Magners. They have original cin cider, which is decent, and then there is the holiest hard cider you have ever tasted. JK SCRUMPYS. Organic and comes in a 22 oz bottle and will run you $11, but it's worth every penny. We also ordered the famous gorgonzola truffle fries which we then understood why they were so famous. As a side note. I'm almost ready to demote this bar on account of one of their waiters/bartenders. There is a taller, lanky gentleman who is pushy for you to close out your tab or order more drinks when you're not necessarily ready. Someone should give him some lessons on etiquette and patron body language to know when I'm done with my drink. The past two or three times that I've been in, I've demoted my ordinary tip by as much as 5% on account of his asshattery. They're trying to have people sign a petition to allow them to have outdoor seating, sign away folks, sign away!!

Jeff A.

Went on a Friday night arriving around 5:30, and grabbed the last table. The place is small, but never felt crowded, even later on when it filled up with people waiting to grab seats. Nice character. Exposed brick, sleek bar, lighting was just dim enough (it's a bar, after all). Pretzels were heavenly. Soft, hot, beer cheese sauce was delicious. Beer selection was great, with prices pretty typical of draught craft beer ($5 - $9). Two complaints: One (which seems to be a common theme in a lot of these Yelp reviews) was the waiter, who seemed bothered by the fact that he was taking care of us. He wasn't outright rude to any of us, but definitely had an attitude. Maybe he was sulking because it was too cold to ride his fixie to work, not sure. The other complaint was the temperature. One minute we were roasting (the heat was cranking), the next it was freezing. Guess that's the price you pay when you have a small space where you're going to feel it every time someone opens the door.

Cori M.

If I lived closer, I'd be there everyday. Wonderful beer selection (esp. if you like things imported from Belgium or Germany), good music, amazing food, and HELLO, the best Old Fashioned I've ever not made myself. Everything there is hand-made, right down to the bitters and the mustard. The food is definitely not cheap, but is very, very good, and surprisingly original. If only it were closer/easier to get to, I'd be a super-regular.

Michele B.

If loving Deep Ellum makes me an aging hipster-wanna-be, then so be it. Their cocktails are divine, especially Hemingway's Daiquiri. They are made with real juice, not mix, and Luxardo maraschino cherries. They also have a wide range of prices, so you can go in for a $4 chilli dog and a $3 beer, or a $9 cocktail and a $18 entree, and you'll still be welcomed. Not a huge menu but it includes some good vegan options. In the nice weather, you can sit outside or they have the windows open.

Kristen F.

Can't complain. A nice little hole in the wall with some different beers on tap and bottle. Nothing domestic which is refreshing. Food is a lot different than your normal pub food. Interesting menu but it is tasty. For some reason though, I think I'd go back here for just drinks and atmosphere, rather than dinner. Their brunch menu looked amazing so I'd love to try that. All in all a nice little hang out for those who live near by.

James M.

The Best Wurst Plate was delicious. It was one of my favorite spots during the Summer. The skylights make it inviting during the day and at night it's a cool spot with loud music, awesome mixed drinks and beer, and a great enclosed patio in the back which can accommodate larger groups with bench seating. Anytime I'm back in Allston I'll be sure to stop in there for a beverage and some grub.

JC M.

The last time i was in this space it was O'Malley's,a dark towny dive with a cat hanging out,literally ON the bar.Not to say i minded at all.Once it became a different place(s),the mood just never felt right. Once i read that DeepEllum was in the works and being brought to us by some of the familiar faces of Bukowski's,i felt secure in the fact that there would be nothing but the BEST selection of beers.If you consider yourself a "Beerie",like a "Foodie",then check this place out!Heaven!! With great recommendations and detailed descriptions. If you don't care for beer but enjoy a finely executed cocktail,this is also your place! The food,although we've only had brunch was clean,delicious and appropriate.The Brazilian Breakfast Plate is a good choice and has just the right amount of fruit to balance the "cheese bread",also the roast beef hash is ridiculously delicious!! If you are lucky enough to find Max behind the bar,you are in for such a treat,besides being one of the nicest people i've ever met-he's in love with what he does and it shows! He can mix up amazing "old school" cocktails and can give you as much or as little history behind your poison.The place itself is bright and clean,a major change from previous set ups.The ONLY change i would make is to maybe ,make the tables a little bit higher,i like to slink into my boothes and tables and being on the tall side, the tables hit the tops of my legs and left me feeling a bit like a giant...but,y'know after a few beers i don't recall being all that bothered by it.Oh,and let's not forget the great music selection!! This place is Highly recommended!!

Shirley Y.

i would like to reaffirm my love for this place, with the wood interior, and the pretty bartender who makes up for her good looks by mixing a great bloody mary on a rainy saturday morning. the beer selection has, once again, evolved. the charcuterie plate was fabulous, and was perfect with the best wurst appetizer. i think i really need to expand my horizons from this best wurst plate...but why, when it so good and always keeps you guessing with their daily creation?

Helen L.

Deep Ellum is a pretty chill place to go if you just want to kick back with a beer and relax. The food is EXCELLENT and the place is VERY small, so it feels very cozy. The bartenders are friendly, so if you live around the are and come a lot, they'll remember you and it'll feel like your neighborhood bar. It's nice if you are in the mood to relax.

Annie S.

Amazing selection of beers. Great food (pretzel and beer cheese and best wurst place are amazing). Cocktails also very good. Staff is always friendly and very helpful with drink selection.

Stacey D.

Been here twice now with the hubby and had a great experience each time. The waitress is awesome - very friendly, helpful, and cute (we both have a crush on her :) I love trying different beers and this place has got tons -and they'll happily give you a taste of any on tap before you order a whole pint. Also, I'm not usually into french fries much, but they have some (only $5 I recall) with truffle oil and gorgonzola! I'm not even sure if I can taste the truffle oil, but the cheese makes it a super-yummy gluttonous treat! Atmosphere is great: dark and cozy.

Katie R.

The absolute best spot in the city if you're a couple (or a group of friends) split down the middle on the beer/cocktails front. My husband loves new, funky beers, I love fun, classic cocktails. This place was made for us. We also think that their food is amazing. If you go, you have to try the pretzels with beer cheese. Also ask them if you can have some of their homemade mustard. We often just mix the two together. Deep Ellum has a great vibe, and it feels comfy whether it's mobbed on a Friday night, or empty on a Tuesday afternoon. I also highly recommend the back patio. These people take their work seriously and I think Deep Ellum deserves more credit for that. They're every bit as professional and great (if not better) than the other cocktail/beer big boys like Green Street, Eastern Standard, and the Publick House. Go there now -- your marriage (or friendship) will thank you!

Eric B.

Great beer selection. Perhaps not the sheer volume there is at the Publick House, but because it's so well-selected and the taps rotate so frequently -- and because more of the bottled offerings are stuff you can't find at any good beer store -- I'd say the selection is at least as good if not better. Perfect pours too, and the service is exceptional. They don't treat you like you're lucky to be breating the same air as them, and you can always find a seat.

Tim G.

Yes, the beer list is great--Boston needs more like it. Yes, the vibe and music are v. cool. Yes, our server exuded just the right amount of slacker charisma and was solicitous w/o being "suck-uppy." But, no, our food wasn't as good as claimed in other reviews. All four of us classified our meals as only OK and surely not great. The token veg in our crowd, I had a seitan burger that could've come from the frozen food aisle on a bun that could've come out of a plastic bag. It wasn't bad, just unremarkable. The new Roadhouse BBQ in Brookline doesn't cater to the cool kids crowd in the way that Deep Ellum does, but you can get an even bigger beer list and better food there (though the service is better at Deep Ellum).

Shannon S.

Totally a cool addition to the Allston scene, which I appreciate immensly since it's great to see a bar reach out once again to the above 25 set. The food wasn't as phenomenal as I hoped after reading reviews and although a meal there might be a bit more expensive than the area can stomach, I appreciate this outstanding little bar and support it completely. Not only did the music kick ass the entire time I was there, the interior has been remodeled from a squirrelly dive to a hip, inspiring beer-drinkers haven. We sat our group of 6, enjoyed hot tasty fries and sampled their beer list. It's no public house, but I admit, I might like the "cool" of this bar better. I could easily grab a drink here at almost any time of the day--though the later it got the more crowded it became, and no one looked like they were taking off any time soon, they were enjoying the atmosphere too much. I will def. go back, and those of you who work in Allston might be interested in their $5 burger lunch special. Pretty solid if you ask me.

Sam M.

Where do we begin? Well, 5 of us were having dinner on Wednesday night and had heard good things about the food at Deep Ellum. We show up, and waited for a table for about 25 minutes - not much room to wait, so we were basically standing in the doorway the entire time, dodging waiters and patrons who came in. When we were finally seated, it took another 15 minutes for the waiter to take our drink order. During this time, parties around us who had been seated at the same time were receiving their food. We were excited that the cocktail menu seemed a bit different and creative. But then my $9 pisco punch, which came in a short old-fashioned glass to begin with, arrived half full. Another one of my friends complained that her cider was quite expensive for the amount that was given (in a wine glass). As for the food: my sister's dish was supposed to be a vegan cassoulet with white beans, kale, and "italian sausage" seitan. It was entirely overcooked; the white beans were inedible. The tomato sauce was indescribable except to say it was horribly flavored, as was the seitan. There was no kale in sight. Such a disappointment - $15 for a bowl of overcooked beans! A few of us were satisfied with our meals - the meatloaf sandwich was pretty tasty. But with one waiter manning all 12 tables, the wait, and the disappointing food, we really have no reason to return. Oh yeah, and it was freezing cold - we ate with our coats on.

Ryan F.

Yup, this place is legit. small and loud, but i like it. Great beer selection and some interesting food on the menu. The bartenders are great, very knowledgeable and cool. It is a little pricey, but i am yet to find a place with a nice beer selection like this that isnt. Just a great place to sit down throw back some quality drinks and listen to loud music in a small space.

Carolyn B.

very cool bar with a fun vibe. not too fancy or casual - just right. i liked their selection of all different beers, and our waitress was happy to help me choose one since i didnt know most of them (except i recognized PBR).

Emily C.

Best bar in Allston. Bar None! I live a couple blocks away, and when this place opened on my birthday last year I knew it was fate. It's just enough off the beaten path of college bars to attract a chill, laid back, d-bag free crowd. It's become a roommate tradition to go there every Wednesday for some brews - we're trying to make it through the long list of beers! It is also my chosen place for dates. Yep, it works both ways. The staff is awesome and more than willing to suggest a beer or perfectly crafted drink. Also, the burger and vegan burger are delish, as is the chicken with honey couscous and the shrimp and sausage gumbo. Very excited for the outdoor deck coming in the summer. Nothing but love for it : )

Thomas M.

Fantastic cocktail and beer menu. Good soft pretzels and hot dogs! Beer is a little pricey, but worth it -- a lot less snobby than the Publick House. Great bartenders/waitstaff.

Aaron L.

Great little place. Fantastic beer menu, wonderful and knowledgeable bartenders. I drive past Deep Ellum every day coming home from work, and always thought it looked too dingy to be good. I was wrong. Def recommended.

Ryan O.

good for a small hole in the wall

Meghan L.

hmm. i have to go back to fairly judge, but i'll offer my inital impressions anyway. was meeting up with a friend who i hadn't seen in ages, and she was there with a big group of people i didn't know. so i got there, and they were in various stages of eating. the waitress comes to take my order, and i asked for a sam adams. well, i think i might have been struck dead if looks could kill. i am sorry, i didn't know this was a fancy-beer bar. so, i ordered a smuttynose IPA. i love smuttynose, i do know something about beer, i just hadn't looked at the menu yet and did not appreciate the waitress's obnoxiousness. hell, until that very day i had never even heard of deep ellum. so, did not dig the pretension. since then i have been hearing a lot of great things about this place, and it does generally seem like the type of place i would like. so, i would go back if i were in the area, but probably won't make a special trip. i prefer the publick house in terms of service and location.

Stephanie J.

Not bad, not the best brunch out there, but it was an all right time. We started out at the tiniest table there, but after we moved to one of the regular table, it was a much more roomy experience, and also more pleasant. The food? Okay. I ordered the corned beef hash with eggs. It ended up being about 4 pieces of corned beef with potatoes and peppers.. and eggs. I mean, I'd still come back to try something else, but next time I'm back in Boston, it's not going to be at the to of my list.

Harry M.

Had dinner on the patio on Saturday. Beautiful setting (esp. considering that it is Allston), great beers and mixed drinks. But dinner was disappointing. The cassoulet was served so hot that I had to wait at least 15 minutes before I could eat it. When I finally could dig in, it was OK but certainly not inspired - tiny flecks of swiss chard, a few cherry tomatoes, and a few thin slivers of seitan sausage. Summary - great place to drink but for a meal you can do much better

Kristin C.

Until this past weekend, Deep Ellum has been one of my all-time favorite places to go. However, the wait staff on Sunday has made me second-guess another visit to Deep Ellum. I got the Moules Frites, an appetizer I have previously enjoyed here. My first bite tasted a little off, but I thought maybe it was the flavor of my beer that affected it. So I ate another- and realized that the mussels were slimy with almost a raw taste. I had my fiance try one and he made a face "Yeah, there's something rancid about these mussels." We told our server that they were bad, almost like they weren't cooked. She took them from us, brought them to the kitchen.... and then proceeded to bring them back to the table. "The kitchen said that they are fine. See, they are open, that means they are cooked." Um, NO. When I send food back for being bad, I do not expect it to reappear at my table, and I certainly do not expect to be talked down to, like I don't know what a cooked mussel looks like. Of course I do - I was simply telling her that there was something bad about my plate. I stated that I didn't want them. I'm a friendly, nice person... however for the rest of the night we received NO eye contact, no service, nothing. I'm sorry I sent back food, but they served me BAD MUSSELS. I was nice about sending it back- I even apologized. I should not be made to feel like a pariah because I didn't suck it up and deal with it. Oh- and we never were visited by a manager, by anyone from the kitchen, etc. The bad mussels weren't the problem, the way they handled it was. I have previously gone to Deep Ellum on an almost weekly basis, but am searching out another place with great beer selection, and perhaps servers who are polite and respectful.

Liza M.

great place for some great craft beers on tap. went recently for the Pretty Things release of one of their new beers. Staff is friendly. The food looked really yummy. It was lunch time on a Saturday and packed, but luckily Chris and I snagged seats at the bar. I like the ceiling fans and the old apothecary items on display behind the bar. Oh and I got a parking spot right out front!

Deep Ellum took over the space formerly occupied by The Reel Bar, keeping the yummy tunes but applying the "yummy" to the beer and food as well. The beer list is long... very long... and you can try all sorts of local and foreign beers on tap or in bottles. The prices have gone up a bit, so this isn't really a cheap place. Even if you're content with cheap beers in a cheap place, if you're like me, you see those delicious specialty microbrew beers from places that just opened up a year or two ago and you say "MUST HAVE" and just can't listen to the voice of reason. Also known as your boring side. And with the high alcohol content of so many of the delicious brews found here, you might just find yourself sliding into your booth in a mix of ecstasy and lethargy, unable and/or unwilling to get up and "bounce," to use the parlance of our times. I once agreed to meet a couple friends here for brunch and only walked out around 7 or 8. Yikes! The food here is quite good as well, mostly pub grub done well. While the beers are expensive, you can eat on a budget here. And the service is always great. The people here know their beers. One time they even served me a beer that I really didn't like -- I said I wanted something else, and that I'd pay for the beer I ordered (it wasn't the bar's fault), and the guy still took it off the tab. That's nice! So this is a place you should visit if you're in Boston, and definitely if you're in Allston. Happy drinking!

J E.

Deep Ellum quickly became my favorite after work bar. They don't serve Jack and Coke, but they have a Dickel and Coke, which is the same thing which different booze that tastes better. Also... eat their truffle gorgonzola fries. They are DELECTABLE.

Vanilla P.

Soooo good. We went for brunch (specifically because of Ryan M.'s Review of the Day), and were amazed at the delectable food at cheapy cheap prices! I had the Poached Egg Benedict dish, and hubby had the Breakfast Burrito.... Both were outstanding. But my Bloody Mary was GREAT! I'm still a little tipsy! And it's been 3 hours! Whee! The bartender was friendly, and we walked away rubbing our bellies and saying, "We'll have to remember this place!"

Whitney K.

This is a really cool bar. What's best is that you don't have to go into Boston to find a bar this hip. I started off with a beer, because I heard they had a good beer list... and they do. I loved my beer, but I wished I had taken a peak at the cocktail list first because there were so many drinks that I wanted to try. I got the Original Aviation and it was delicious! My boyfriend got the Vanilla Flip- a drink with a whole raw egg in it, which was surprisingly good. It kinda tasted like custard. He also got an Old Fashion. I usually drink my Old Fashions with bourbon and this one was with rye. Let's just say I'm going to start making more Old Fashions with rye. I want to go back, especially for drinks. Hopefully after that visit this place will be up to 5 stars.

Celeste G.

They have Sofia Champagne in a can which makes this bar A-O-K! hah, i'm easy to please.

Scott F.

Went for a couple beers a while back when they first opened...Always wanted to go back for food. I got that opportunity yesterday after they had a deal on buywithme.com ... And I couldnt have been happier with the results (and I'm not just saying this because my entire tables brunch was basically half off!!) I got the Country Fried Steak with gravy and eggs. I wish I was a real food critic so I could completely explain how satisfying this was. Let me just say that I felt like the food critic in Ratatouille after he takes his first bite. Cold heart... Slowly warming.. Need more nowwww. Thats it.. they got me. I'll be back to pay full price many times over. Did I mention that the bloody mary I had was perfect? Yeah, it was. Had the perfect consistency and spiciness with a green bean garnish. Writing this now, I just realized that it didnt have a pepper rim, which usually makes it for me. So I guess it was that good that I didnt even need it. After this I proceeded to devour what was left of my girlfriends french toast. I'm pretty sure there were about 8 other things on the (well-priced)brunch menu that I want right now. Why can't every day be Sunday?

Laura B.

This little fantastic Allston gem has got me gushing to anyone who will listen. The beer selection LOOKS really impressive, and one day I really would love to try a few, but even though beer is generally my drink of choice at bars, I cannot pass up their unique and lovingly presented cocktails. Of the drinks I've tried, I've really enjoyed the Garci Crispo margarita (not sweet! not neon green!), Summer in Sao Paolo (ginger? lime? why YES!), and the Moscow Mule, though on my most recent venture there last week I was disappointed not to see it on the drink list. If you can swing it, and it is usually not terribly difficult, get a table on the patio. One reviewer said it was like stepping out of Allston, and there is some truth in that. There are hanging plants, umbrellas and great lighting. Finally, the service exceeds outstanding at Deep Ellum. The first time I went was in a decent sized party, and they were amazing at accommodating us on the porch (and then again inside when a rain shower forced us inside). It's a good thing I'm not in the service industry because I would have directed a lot of rage in my party's direction, but the waiters were all so friendly and helpful. They also really seemed to like discussing the merits of certain cocktails and beers, and were adorable to boot. I'll be returning again and again, and recommend you do the same.

Alex F.

Went here after reading great things on Yelp and Phantom Gourmet. The reviews were all right, and I received not only great beers and cocktails, but great knowledge. Any question I had about the beers or the drinks the bartender was making in front of me, she always had a full blown answer that blew my mind. I was so impressed with her, and also her fine drinking skills. The variety of beers were remarkable, great for any beer connoisseur who is looking for something outside the usual Stella, Guinness, and Millers.

Noel J.

Its too bad.. I've went here at least 5-6 times and have always been conflicted about my feelings on the place. I've always went for brunch and its quite good, a tad pricey, but still good and unique food. So kudos for that. That is where my positive feedback ends. The service here is F*ING TERRIBLE! Every single time, over 3 months I've always liked the food and thought my waiter/waitress was an absolute pretentious, impatient, and arrogant wanna be hipster who thinks their sh*t doesn't stink or that their sh*t is ultra chic and hip. I had my last straw a few days ago, bought a online coupon and they refused to recognize it b/c it was printed in blue ink (my printer was out on black lol) and they said i was trying to pull a fast one and i dont actually have a coupon. So i said no problem and showed them on my iPhone, to which they said it didnt matter it wasnt printed it out. I would've let it slide and pay our $70 bill but no f*cking way i'm goign to let that slide after their manager talked down to me like i was a f*ckin low class idiot that didnt belong in his establishment because he's so chic in skinny jeans and hipster outfit out of the sale rack on Urban Outfitters. So i essentially told him to f*ck off and let me use a printer and computer at their office to print it out, which begrudgingly he allowed...paid my fucking bill minus the coupon and jetted out of there... Here's my advice Yelp'ers : The food is pretty good...good enough to get over the fact that from the top down they are arrogant hipsters who think they are too cool to be nice to patrons? I think not. SMD Deep Ellum. SM A Very Fat D

Aretha B.

My first visit to Deep Ellum was friday night. I was able to find a seat right at the bar for a friend's birthday celebration. The music was good and not TOO LOUD SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO SCREAM THE WHOLE NIGHT, the lighting was low. The drinks were tasty and made with care by the owner. The owner rocks - I didn't get a chance to tell him so but I am sure he knows... the bar is cool and it's just a good, unpretentious place. I look forward to going again for a meal. Depending on future experiences I'll hopefully bump to a 5. ----------------------------------------------- 2nd Review! I went in for dinner last night (a saturday) and it was GREAT because it wasn't crowded at all. They had this organic cider that they just got in (10 bucks for a huge bottle) - called ol' scrampy's or something. It was delicious (6.0% too). GET IT WHILE IT IS THERE. For dinner I had the roast duck ramen (15 bucks). I was worried it wouldn't be worth it but the duck was the most delicious duck I'd ever had. SO GOOD. Duck can taste like that? It came with a side of chili sauce so you can make it as spicy as you want (and the spice matched well with the broth). This was filling and delicious (though is it worth 15 dollars? Hmmm... I can get a shabu shabu dinner for 15 bucks...). I would get this again if I came here, but the reason I did not bump my star rating to 5 stars is because everyone else I was with didn't look too crazy with what they ordered. I was in my own little world of duck bliss.

Thuy L.

A hidden gem, definitley. After hearing about this place from my friends who frequent Deep Ellum weekly, we decided to try it out too--especially since we rarely go out to Allston. We got there around 9:30pm and there was a bit of a line and waited about 15 minutes but had nice conversation with the bouncer. The bar is pretty small, but not as small as the originall Littlest Bar. There apparently is an outdoor area too, but I guess they hadn't opened it yet. Talk about an extensive food and drink menu. Where else can you go to order devilled eggs and beer? Their fries were pretty awesome too, and you can order it with cheese if you like. Great bar food. As for their drink menu, the beer selection is RIDICULOUS and AWESOME. Something for everyone. We had someone out of town with us, and he made the comment that he liked Rye beers, and there were so many to pick from that he tried something different each time the server came back. In addition to their nice beer selection, they also have a cocktail list with old-fashioned favorites like Tom Collins, Gin Fizz, Pink Lady, etc. There were so many drinks with egg whites that I wanted to try but I lost my nerve and didn't order any. I did order the Hanky Pank just because I liked the name but it was awful--like a combination of Rubbing Alcohol and cough syrup. I drank it anyway--but since I was driving, I couldn't order anything else. I can't wait to go back and try one of the cocktails with egg whites in it. It's definitely worth the trip to Allston...you'll be pleasantly surprised.

eileen b.

Great place. I was visibly excited when looking over the beer list and the bartender was more than happy to discuss the merits of each beer with us. Since my sister hates "those salty brown sticks of hell," I got the whole steamed pretzel to myself. I love the mustard they serve with it--grainy, just how mustard should be. While, as a vegetarian, I can't speak about the burger, my sister said it was good. I can tell you that the fries I stole off her plate were excellent. They offer gorgonzola as a burger topping, I thought that was cool. I'll defintely be back to try the cocktails. P.S. Matt, the cod thing is called "grubbins." P.P.S. Who doesn't like pretzels?! P.P.P.S. I abuse post scripts.

Felecia C.

Some of the bars in this area have an in-your-face hipster vibe. Deep Ellum is more subtle, and I appreciate it. Here, I'm not overdressed if I wear heels instead of Cons. I also really liked the random hip-hop playing over the Sox game. The drinks are decent, and I guess they have a lot of beer selection. The food menu is pretty long and there is a disclaimer to "please let your server know of any dietary restrictions." So maybe they MIGHT be able to accommodate my gluten-free needs? We'll see. Oh, and our server was super-cute.

Jason C.

OK, I went back on a weeknight and had a *much* better time. Great service, not super crowded, not crazy loud, and the calamari appetizer was absolutely delicious. I think this place is at its best during the week, or generally before 8 or 9pm.

Greg M.

Located at the Spinal Tap drummer of Allston bar locations (formerly O'Malley's, Ladder Something, Reel Bar, and probably something else), this is my new favorite bar. It almost makes me wish I still lived in Allston. I hardly know where to begin explaining how much I like this place. Nice atmosphere. Cozy with a bench and tables lining one side and a long bar lining the other. Minimalist decor with an exposed brick wall, dim lighting, two HD TVs, and indie music playing. Co-owner and bartender Max is more than happy to make any fancy or old-timey drink you like. He listed countless drinks for my girlfriend and after she chose something that sounded neat, we saw him down at the other end cracking an egg, measuring out stuff, and basically going above and beyond the call of duty to make this one specific drink. It's the only place I can think of that specializes in both fancy drinks and good beer. They have over 100 beers. 22 on tap. 2 nitro (that's what gives Guinness its creaminess) and a cask conditioned beer. You probably haven't heard of most of them, but everyone who works there is extremely knowlegeable. If you tell them what you like they'll give great suggestions and probably a sample too. They're all about $5 each, but if you're on a budget, you can get the High Life, Schlitz, or PBR as well for $2.50. They apply this method of putting fancy next to cheap to their food menu too. They have ecclectic food items in the $12-15 dollar range but they also offer reasonably priced wings and burgers and a hot dog for $3 and a yummy soft pretzel with mustard for $2. I tried the prime rib and while it didn't wow me, it was good enough that I'd try other things. They don't fuck around. They make everything themselves. Mustard, sausage, sour mix, even grenadine. Seriously. This place takes some pride in itself. In case you're wondering, Deep Ellum is named after a section of Dallas that's supposed to be hip, I guess. (Deep on "Elm" with a Southern drawl). Here's hoping they stay for a long time. Update: Now that I've tried some of the food, here are my thoughts. The wurst plate is amazing. (Another update: I repeat. The wurst plate is AMAZING!) The pretzel, wings, and grilled cheese w/ tomato soup (lunch only) are all very good options. The burger and hot dog hold their own and most everything else is merely decent.

Brian K.

Quite possibly the only reason (besides the Grasshopper) I miss Allston, Ellum is a little too packed at times and the music can be too loud to sustain a conversation - but the beer, food, and service is outstanding enough to make me come back as much as possible. The beer selection is always impressive as the bar staff and the new patio is incredible. The drinks are a little pricey too but if you want cheap drinks - go to the Model next door. Ellum is more classy than that and usually has a better crowd too. See you there. Unless you're a weirdo or something - then leave me be.

Laureen E.

Love love love this place for brunch! They serve the best bloody mary I have ever tasted, and I drink a fair amount of bloody marys. Plus, the food is outstanding.

Gerald D.

This is my favorite bar that I have found in the area thus far. I moved up here from the Dallas/Fort Worth area in Texas, so I was surprised to find a place named for a place where I spent much of my time seeing rock shows back in college. For those of you not aware, Deep Ellum is named for a nightclub district in Dallas that used to be one of the coolest places to hang, until its downturn of the last several years... But I digress! Deep Ellum, the bar, is absolutely top notch. I have only been maybe five or six times, but already servers there have remembered me and asked how I'm enjoying living in a new area, that sort of thing. It has been said by other reviewers that the staff there are both knowledgeable and smokin' hot, and I would have to agree. Gorgeous women that can pull a perfect pint, and know their imported beers? Awesome. Also cool, once or twice I've been on the fence as to which beer to order, and they've had no problem giving me a small sample of each, which not all bars are keen to do. The tap selection her is unrivaled for a place of this size. They even have cask ale, and Belgian firkins available. Ridiculous. And the food? The Gorgonzola Cheese Burger is delicious. Excellent meat, cheese melted beautifully atop the patty, fresh butter lettuce, thick slice of tomato...mmmm. Truffle fries? With Gorgonzola? Hell yes. Can you tell that I'm something of a fan of the Gorgonzola? I just like the word Gorgonzola. Sounds like a country. Or a strange carnival ride maybe? Anyway, the food is most excellent. I'm also a fan of the random, eclectic music they play. The system they use for uploading their tunes is recently installed, allows them a massive playlist that they can shuffle through, so you're unlikely to hear any repeats on a given night. Can't say enough good things about this bar, trying to get more of my friends to check it out. If I had more disposable income, I would be here at least once a week. Maybe in the new year...

Dan H.

Update: Went for Sunday Brunch and got the Knoxvegas Sausage and Biscuits which I had been eyeing up for a few weeks. Outstanding. Reminds me of my Granny's (lives in Knoxville) sausage, biscuits, and gravy but more upscale (spices and herbs and such). I was informed by one of the cooks that the guy that does the menu is from Knoxville. Awesome! Hot dog and fries for $3. Drinks are a little pricey. Beers are over $5 a pint and the cocktails are the price of a place downtown. Other than that.... the place is great. Knowledgable bar tender, great menu (only had the hot dog though), and an unbelievable choice of drinks. Small so it will get a little too crowded. Try some of the cocktails. Gin fizz! 3 of the drinks have egg white in them, no hangover though, ha. Great beer selection. About 22 on tap and always a cask. Good stuff. Friendly staff and they know their shight. Don't forget to try the homemade pretzel with beer chesse. I want to bathe in the beer cheese.

Katie R.

Love, love, love this place. Great food, fantastically crafted cocktails, friendly wait staff, clean bathrooms, and usually a table open! In the summer it's great to relax on their outdoor patio, order an old fashioned, and gab with friends over some truffle fries. Delightful.

Kate S.

UPDATE: This place gets 5 stars for the service alone. I love a place where the bartender remembers who I am and picks up exactly where we left off in conversation the last time we were in. Big props for that. The beer offerings continue to be top notch, and the food is delish. Wow. Real 5 star potential here! Deep Ellum is the place to be for serious beer nerds like me. Housed in the former Reel Bar, Deep Ellum is cozy and a bit off the beaten track. It has about 20 taps of good beer and many hard-to-find selections such as Urthel Hop It! and Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu (a limited edition offering). They also have 2 nitro taps. I tasted the Chateau Jiahu, but decided on an IPA that I'd never heard of before. My second beer was the Black Fly Stout on Nitro! Both were delicious and special. Hubby had BBC's Coffee House Porter (nitro), and Urthel Hop It! and was in heaven. We ordered the wings, which were a knockout. They were covered in what seemed like corn flakes, then deep fried. The portion was generous for two, and the wings could have been hotter, but had an outstanding flavor. The other offerings on the menu looked good, like house-made brats, chili, and assorted sandwiches. There were entrees as well, including a cassoulet that sounded tempting. The service was stellar, the bartender knew his stuff and had been around the boston beer scene for quite a while. He was eager to talk beer and give us samples of the (many) beers on tap that we'd never tried. Four stars for now, but after a few more visits, I can see myself bumping this place up to a 5. Wonderful all around!

Billy Su B.

cut the shit and get over here- drink yourself stupid, you know you want to: dog-fish head galore, coffee house porter, high and mighty beers of the gods, ever-changing cask selections, sam smith this and that** OK here's what- i NEVER order the same thing twice in one sitting here- you can't. i'm tired of people comparing this place to spots like sunset. do you want to know the difference? the bartenders at deep ellum know their stuff forward and back. that's a pretty big difference. NOT TO MENTION the food here is actually very nice. they recently started serving this spicy calamari and i swear it's better than what you'd get in most places in china town. i'm finished, i just really love this bar. you'll find me there, and FYI- i'm not a hipster. and you know what else?? people always complain about "hipster scenes" but i would take a hipster over a meat-head ANY day. just sayin..

Andrew K.

What's not to like? great staff, awesome unique selection of beers, really good food, and they always seem to have a very friendly crowd. You can always tell when a place a biz really cares about what they are doing and Deep Ellum has that unmistakable, can't fake it personality about it.

Dave B.

Summer in Sao Paolo. This is all you need. It's a caipirinha with ginger honey syrup. I enjoy beer but always order this instead, and everyone who's had it has proclaimed it their favorite drink. Trust me, I'm a professional.

Joe R.

Great addition to the Beer Bar scene in Boston (if you can call it a "scene"). Loved the selection, and the food was great. I highly recommend starting with the Steamed Pretzels & Mustard appetizer. Very few things go with a beer as well as a pretzel. Kind staff / good music / low key but hip scene

Laura A.

jesus. these reviews are muy inflated, in my opinion. is it that most people living in allston are so excited to have a halfway decent place in their neighborhood they pump it up with 4/5 star reviews? actually, scratch that. if we're reviewing it as a bar, it def. deserves a solid four+ stars. if we're reviewing it as a restaurant...not so much. (i guess i probably shouldn't talk considering that i give my favorite thai delivery five stars, but i digress..) i liked the space a lot, the people working there were friendly, they take cards, the beer list was impressive, and we were all happy w/our appetizers (the chili and the hot pretzel). i get the impression this place is best for appetizers and snacky treats to get while you're drinking. the mustard w/the pretzel was amazing. it was horseradishy and delicious. the entrees were a mixed bag...two of us were pretty disappointed w/the artichoke dish (the eggplant was super chewy) and the seitan burger (almost totally tasteless...yuck. seitan in & of itself is actually pretty tasty so the fact that it tasted like i was gnawing on an oversized pencil eraser w/no flavor really says something). i love, LOVE when business owners acknowledge the fact that a lot of their clientele are vegetarian/vegan, but it felt like there was very little effort put into the veg dishes. the other two of us were really happy with the wurst platter & the grubbins. i'm definitely going to try it again before i make a final decision about this place (and i'm going to try the lentil stew this time instead..). i refuse to believe a place affiliated w/the buk could have such ehh food. dear owners of deep ellum, if you're reading this, please do SOMETHING about the fucking seitan burger. i know it can be challenging to create a vegan meal, but at least put somethin' somethin' on it or flavor the seitan for chrissake.

Bree H.

as much as I love this place it has gotten too ... something.

Mike D.

UPDATE 11/25/07: I don't really care about the food situation here any more and have gone up to four stars because it's a kick-ass bar. This update comes on an absinthe-addled morning after. I came this (holding fingers close together) close to finally trying a gin fizz and probably will the next time I'm there because hey--they make gin fizzes there. The bartenders are all wicked friendly and great to talk to, and I was even more won over by the following conversation: Male patron with girlfriend: "... and she'll have a Redbull and vodka." Bartender: "We don't carry Redbull, bro."

Caleb H.

* Good atmosphere * Cool bartenders * Huge draught rack * Good beers * Very very very good veggie burger and fries I met up with my roomies and a friend here later in the night. They were seated at the bar, and i hovered with them for maybe ten minutes before a stool opened up for me too. We enjoyed the veggie burger, and on my end the Saison du Pont, and a Czech beer. The bartender was happy to choose a random martini for my roomie. Only downsides to this place, its small/narrow, and a single-occupancy bathroom (although one for each gender).

Kristine M.

We went here for a Parkinson's Disease benefit a few months ago. At first I was like, "Aww, man! Deep Ellum? Isn't that where the Reel Bar used to be?" The Reel Bar was awful. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Deep Ellum is in all actuality quite awesome. Really great beer selection, particularly Belgians. We also got this cheese platter to munch on that was great. It had this really nice Irish cheddar and an apricot chutney. It's small and a little cramped, but absolutely worth checking out, especially if you like beer. They also always seem to be playing good music in there. Practically every time I go in there they play the "Sky Blue Sky" album by Wilco. Good stuff :-D UPDATE: Had dinner here yesterday and food was awesome. My husband had stroganoff over homemade paparadelle noodles and it was great. I had the sausage platter that came with some of the best polenta I've ever had. Definitely a wonderful little gem in Allston. I'll keep going back.

Nate B.

Deep Ellum quietly reminds me of a great bar out in Western Mass that I went to quite a bit in my college days. The place was called The Moan and Dove, and I've never been able to completely reconstruct the place in Boston. Deep Ellum comes as close to such a place with its dimly lit dining and bar area that invites scores of hipsters and sports buffs alike...and in harmony! Ellum's pretty small inside, but you're almost always guaranteed a table for dinner and drinks. The bar has a good tap list and bottled selections bring up the rear. I would suggest checking the place out if you're not feeling the Sunset vibe, but into the Sunset's scope and variety of brews. Ellum has a great variety for such a small place. The food is about average, and the prices could be a little on the iffy side, but all in all the place is pretty solid. Want to make a good move at Ellum? Get the pretzel with stout cheese sauce. Not only is it the perfect compliment to smooth cold beer, but the cheese sauce will knock you out paired with their piping hot large pretzels.

John S.

Been meaning to write a review for a while. The food here is always spot on. Have had almost everything and have a tough time choosing between items. The bbq breakfast or the duck confit hash are probably my favorites. Also, the inside/patio are nice and intimate. My only complaint is the service. The servers are almost always slow and don't really seem to care. They're always nice, but I've never had a good service.

Angela M.

This place is fantastic. I'm not a fan of going out in the Brighton/Allston area, but I will make the effort to go to Deep Ellum. If you enjoy beer, and trying out a variety of different kinds and styles, definitely make your way over here. They have great food as well, and the service...spectacular...especially if Casey waits on you. He can take a huge order without writing anything down, and remember every detail. He can be in the weeds, and still remember what you are drinking...he's very impressive. Another great thing about Deep Ellum is the atmosphere. It's small, cozy, yet hip and happening inside. Love this place--it ranks almost as high as River Gods for me.

A. X O.

Besides the amazing food & the gorgeous wait staff/bartenders - this place has the all time best bloody mary's that I have ever tasted. My Saturday morning hungover brunches would not be complete without them. Also, try the chimichanga. So good. :)

Caitlin B.

This place has great food AND great drinks. I love the vegan burger so much that I rarely try anything else.... not everyone knows how to make a great seitan burger but this place does! The gorgonzola fries are HEAVEN. The beer selection is great but I usually end up getting a cocktail because they are quite interesting and very well made- I can only think of a few places in Boston that rival the cocktails. The downside is that this place gets crowded, so I avoid going on weekends. The porch is nice but sometimes it gets a bit too noisy inside for me. Service is good but not stellar. The food/drinks are even better and if you haven't tried this place, you've GOT to!

Giuseppe F.

First, a confesssion: I've lived in Allston for 3 years and just went to Deep Ellum for the first time. Sadly, I'm one of those "out of the loop" folk that the marketers call "obliviards" (a combination of laggard and oblivious). And for this I am sad. Very sad. Not quite as sad as I was when I learned that Santa Clause was yet another form of parental manipulation. But close. Deep Ellum is amazing. As a former bartender and current foodie, I have nothing but praise for this place. Fantastic patio (good luck getting out there), great drink list, and a pretzel and beer-cheese plate that would make the Bavarians blush with envy if, well, they could actually blush. The only negatives are the acoustics and speed. This place gets loud...very loud. And this is coming from a loud-mouth Italian who has bad hearing. Service (mind you I'm only talking about bartenders) can be a little slow in a double-edge sword sort of way. While the bar staff invests a good amount of time and care in crafting their drinks and are fun to interact with (+), service speed is lacking ( - ). Now, to be fair, they're much faster than the bar staff down at Drink. But what bar isn't?

Meg S.

With much hesitation, my boyfriend and I decided to try Deep Ellum for our Valentine's Day dinner. Reading the reviews, I was a little skeptical about having bar food in a loud and crowded restaurant as our romantic evening, but all in all I had a fantastic night. Food: Since the prices were a little high for dinners and there were so many smaller things we wanted to try, we decided to order a bunch appetizers. Starting with the beer cheese and soft pretzels, my boyfriend actually moaned out loud after the first bite (drawing some strange glances haha) The perfect combination of beer and cheese- how could you resist? AMAZING. The calamari was served with jalapeno peppers- however they cooked them, I have no idea- but they were a little crunchy and sweet...delicious. Their homemade lamb wurst....oh man. It really is the best wurst I've ever had. Drinks: I've never seen a place take so much pride in their drinks. Each cocktail is perfectly measured and shaken- definitely not shy with the alcohol. I'm still a little skeptical of the egg drinks, but supposedly people rave about them. A little pricey, but definitely worth it to try a few. Atmosphere: It did get a bit loud and a bit crowded at times, but the crowds were constantly changing. We decided to sit at the bar- it ended up being very romantic, the bartender was extremely nice and attentive, and the mood was very fun and relaxed with the Smiths as background music and 80s music videos playing on the TVs. Definitely a place that is very serious about good food and good drink.

Paco G.

Very impressed by the bartender's music selection or is there a jukebox? Anyways, I love the Misfits!! I was pretty loaded by the time i arrived and don't remember much about their food. Papa fritas, muy bueno!

George G.

I love this place - and honestly it's probably one of my favorite spots in the city. Definitely in the Brighton/Allston area. The beer menu is ever-changing and the menu lists the strength of each so you know what you're getting yourself into. The food is awesome and they don't leave out the details on preperation. They do it right and it tastes great - I've had the burger and the 'best wurst' plate - both were excellent. Lastly, there's a patio outdoors. And the prices are pretty reasonable. Definitely recommend it!

jess M.

I only just realized how great their nicoise salad is! Everything was fresh & tasty when I had it. Fresh tuna, fresh green beans, fresh yum. It's my food ADD salad. Woo! Also, their beer is tasty and the mixed drinks are NOT to be ignored. Ohh yum. Deep Ellum, can I take you to DC with me? Just promise you won't go changing.

Nim H.

Overall this place is awesome, good food, good drinks, and a solid atmosphere. It's "divey," but not dingy, tucked away somehat on the outskirts of most of the other allston bars. It's done a good job separating itself from the mostly college overriden watering holes that line brighton and harvard ave., with a great selection of beers (some really rare ones as well, like a 16% coffee stout/belgian mix from Avery Brewing, which knocked my friend off his A**)and a drinker's cocktail list, which they update rather often. Most recently I've had the San Francisco Nog, the Vanilla Flip, and the Hot Mulled Cider and enjoyed them all. As far as the kitchen goes, it verges on hearty/comfort food, but unlike most pubs doesn't give you the impression that your chicken was grilled with the same grease used during the brunch rush eight hours earlier. Recently I've had the Braut Wurst Plate, with house pickled vegetables (delicious/appertizer portion), garlic and herb chicken (succulent and filling), and the moules frites (twice in a three day span, no doubt some of the best in metro boston). The couscous was a bit uninspired compared to the rest of the the menu items, but it wouldn't keep me from coming back. Overall this place is great, and if you are in the Allston area with a friend/girlfriend/group of friends definitely check it out. Probably not appropriate for a family though after 6 PM.

Alice P.

I was definitely bummed when the Reel Bar closed but was psyched when Deep Ellum opened. I am still quite surprised that they could fit a kitchen in that little back room that was formerly the office! It's awesome for a Sunday afternoon hang out. The burgers are actually really good, and I like the chili and pretzels. They had Krusovice for a while (a Czech beer that is hard to find) which puts them high up on my list. Sometimes the music is a bit loud though. Oh and by far the bartenders are so much more responsive than the ones from the Reel Bar.

Gareth K.

It was inevitable that I write a review for this place, as I've probably spent too much money in here over the past 3 years. But I really have no problem with that because every time I come here I enjoy myself. The beer menu is obviously well-thought out and full of quality, craft beers which constantly rotate, the food is delicious (fries 4 ways are always a solid choice, chili is phenomenal, and cheese plate always has a tasty selection), and the staff is awesome. Plus, the patio during the summer is a win.

J R.

Mint Julep. This is quite possibly the best thing that has ever touched my lips.

Matt K.

Kick Ass beer (their Bukowski roots are apparent), amazing service, and tasty food. AND an outside deck! If I lived close, i would be there all the time. Well done Aaron!

John W.

two words: Deck Open. that's right. you dont need me to tell you what you already know - that the service is outstanding, that the food is delicious, that the brunch is fantastic, that the kitchen is open till midnight, that the beer selection is well curated, and that the clientele is chill. but maybe you didnt know that the deck is open.

Aaron G.

Deep Ellum, I love you so much, if it weren't for budgetary restraints and health reasons I would visit you everyday. Old Rasputin on tap, Hop Rod Rye are serious? That aint right! Other bars just can't offer Ruination on tap, or Maharaja, play nice. And as for the patio, wow! I think I could spend an entire weekend out there in the summer. If I buy enough beer, please don't charge me rent okay? Do expect to pay up, but this place is worth it especially for beer nuts out there. Can't wait to see you again Deep Ellum!

Christine T.

Very very very good for a small hole in the wall Allston dive bar. It's been a few years since I've hung out in Allston, and this spot isn't really a dive. I was pleasantly surprised when my friend took me here. I don't drink but was impressed by there selection of beers and wines, as well as the fact that they have beer in the cask. It's a cozy little spot and since they've added the deck out back its fan-tabulous on a nice summer evening. The thing that startled me was the bar food...soo tasty... when you walk in and to the back deck you go by the kitchen which is tiny. it can't be more than 6x6. But the wonders that leave that magic little box...wow. I do believe they have the best French Fries. My friend got a bowl of the gumbo, which was very good. A little too peppery and not enough balance with all the other flavors you're supposed to get out of gumbo but still very good. I got the hot damn buffalo wings. which had awesome texture. Nice crispy crunchy outside, nice juicy tender meat inside. They were good. I do have to say for supposedly hot damn buffalo wings they had a sweet taste to them that i do not prefer. When i want wings, i want them to be hot or not. It was an interesting combo the sweet vs. the hot/tangy buffalo sauce, but not for me.

Emily F.

My favorite bar in Allston. The food is amazing! The vegan burger, regular burger, fries, pretzels...it's all awesome. And the beer selection is a little intimidating, but still pretty great! But it's pretty small and fills up pretty quickly, especially when the outside seating is not really an option in the winter.

Jason C.

Outdoor patio is nice to have

Yao W.

Lucky for me, this is my neighborhood bar. I first fell in love with Deep Ellum over a dark and stormy that they made with homemade ginger beer last winter. Unfortunately, they don't seem to serve it anymore. But they still make great cocktails, including my favorite the caipirinha and my new favorite, Summer in Sao Paolo. Also, they have a great beer list and yummy burgers (only $5 during lunchtime). Plus, they serve absinthe! Almost the platonic ideal of a bar.

clare m.

dear deep ellum, thank you for making the best moscow mule i've ever had. sincerely, someone who likes vodka that has been artfully combined with ginger beer and lime p.s. love your brunch too.

Jeffrey K.

I came upon this place recently and what a find! I've been to it twice and found the service to be great. The menu is small but interesting and the food is spot on. The prices are very reasonable too that one can frequently visit there. The best thing about it is the beer selection. They have a wide variety of interesting beers and they are all cheap! The atmosphere is cool too.

Carleton S.

I really tried to love this place - great beer some great bartenders on occasion but the last two times have been awful. A few weeks back I thought I would try a new beer and the day bartender is always hyper and a bit too "fast" poured me a six points IPA in about 10 seconds. The beer was "ALL" sediment....She had no clue the keg was kicked and my friend laughed as he saw me about to drink it. Went there recently on a super hot day and all the tap beer was warm and foamy. We ordered a pretzel that was entirely soggy and wet.

kyle c.

gorgonzola truffle cheese fries! vegan burger! vegan pot pie! lemon chicken & cous cous! and then there's the drinks! i love the crap out of this place and would go every night if i could afford it. bartenders and servers know their stuff, and are very friendly (we had the bartender inventing free shots for us by the end of the night.) LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT.

matt o.

I rarely make it to allston but I had gone to deep ellum when it first opened and was impressed with the food and the caprinia but in normal fashion forgot all about it till recently. My buddy and I were out on our bikes one beautiful spring evening and were going to stop at the model for old times sakes and I spotted deep ellum out of the corner of my eye, so I said fuck the model lets go there. I remember how goddamn good the moscow mule is and had 2, harleys drive themselves after a couple of drinks mind you, we had dinner as well and I had the seafood rissoto which I think was a special but it had the tastiest scallops I've ever had. We've since gone back for dinner and a couple times just for drinks, so welcome back allston into my rotation.

Ken V.

With the exception of one instance of poor service, Deep Ellum is probably my favorite spot in Allston. The drinks are delicious, with a great beer selection and tasty mixed drinks. They have some really delicious light fare (the truffle gorgonzola french fries are insane, and the pretzels with beer mustard are great). The outdoor seating is nice, but that is where I experienced some seriously slow service with a group of friends a few weeks ago. It's usually not a problem. Parking is tough in the area, though.

Victoria W.

Great atmosphere and outstanding drinks, so-so food. I wanted to give D.E. a 3-star rating but my boyfriend would have given it a 5, so we compromised with a 4... We stopped in for a meal and drink early on a snowy Friday night, 2 weeks ago, and our opinions definitely diverged. Deep Ellum has wide and varied options for whetting your whistle, but I thought the menu left a lot to be desired (if you're not a meat-adoring dude, that is). My boyfriend ordered the Best Wurst plate, and was very satisfied. On the other hand, I ordered the Caponatta Stuffed Artichoke, one of their few veggie options on the dinner menu. When it was placed in front of me, it didn't even look like food - not a very appetizing sign! The sauce tasted like dirt and many of the veggies (including the eggplant) were super-bitter, and I couldn't choke down much of my dish. However, when I sent it back (something I NEVER do) the waiter was incredibly apologetic and sweet and didn't charge me for it. Despite my negative experience, I will likely return. They do have a vegan burger and veggie lentil soup on their menu, as well as grilled (gruyere) cheese with tomato soup for a lunch special, so I will certainly give them a second chance. The waiter was super-nice and attentive, but some of the other employees were loud and obnoxious and squealing (mind you, this is early - maybe 7pm on a Friday evening - so it's not like the place was packed and raucous yet)...but it wasn't too bad. Also, they played the Smiths the entire time we were there, so I can't really complain. Update: I returned this weekend for a late lunch on Sunday, and was thoroughly pleased. I had the simple, yet fantastic tomato soup (YUM) with a grilled cheese (gruyere on pumpernickel!) - for 5 bucks, you can't beat it! I also enjoyed a super tasty and mighty spicy Bloody Mary, just how I like it! Extra points for Belle & Sebastian and Ambulance LTD album-play. I've upped my rating to 5 stars!

Heather P.

I used to venture here often when it was Reel Bar and I was living blocks away. So, when my boyfriend and I found ourselves in need of a drink on a very hot evening in Allston we decided to check out the new ownership...and we loved it! We grabbed a seat at the bar, or as the bartender called it "ground control." He must have been trainin a new bartender b/c we got to watch how many a drink were made. After just watching "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations...Sao Paolo" on the travel channel that afternoon, I knew I had to order the Caipirinha when I saw it on the cocktail menu. We were both impressed with the beers on tap and my boyfriend was having a hard time deciding which he would go with. The bartender asked him a few questions and picked the perfect beer for him! If we hadn't made other plans for that evening, we could have spent much more time here. We checked out the menu and the food sounded great. I'm sure we'll be back soon!

Steve N.

killed about an hour here yesterday chatting up a lil hottie bartender and enjoying a cask conditioned bitter before going for Dim Sum down the street. a very nice place that knows their Beers and Cocktails.

Joanna G.

There's just waaay too many things to love here. First off, the ambiance is right. There's your share of hipsters, mixed in with some older people and everyone's there to enjoy some good food and beer. The food here is unbelievable! Honestly, do not get the burger, be more adventurous. The pretzels are good with the beer sauce, hmm, the sausages fantastic, and the big easy has real olives spread inside. It really doesn't get better than that. :) Beer selection is also cool. They change stuff on tap and this place lacks the typical beers you find. Their mixed drinks are also interesting - serving up stuff with bitters, egg and other unique ingredients. Don't be afraid though, because it's freakin good. At any rate, if you're in the area and not really down with eating nachos at Sunset for a meal, I definitely recommend Deep Ellum to you. Enjoy!

Nicole B.

huge fan of this place! damn T closing at 12:30...i wish i could have stayed later! the bar itself is lovely. one wall is brick while the other is dominated by a solid, dark wood bar. the ceilings are white and really high. service was fantastic! our waitress was a sweetie! my friend who was with me told me that the service is always fantastic and she did not lie! now the drinks...never have i ever seen such an extensive drink menu. tons of beers, tons of spirts, and the best girly drink/cocktails ever! i had something called a vanilla flip which was vanilla vodka, a raw egg, and sugar with some nutmeg on top. it tasted like a vanilla milkshake! it was amazing! i also had some mulled cider. it was warm, strong, and had a great kick to it! there were tons of other drinks i wanted to try. i guess i'll have to keep coming back for more. i also got to sample their chilli and fries. very good.

Al C.

Props for the eclectic cocktail menu and for the bartenders who actually know how to make them properly. These folks know their stuff when it comes to alcohol. However, I can never appreciate the place because it is always JAMMED. I dig the decor and the potential dive bar atmosphere, but this place is choked with pretentious Allston hipsters and "edgy" young professionals who think they're so original for ordering a sazerac. I know the establishment can't control the type of clientele that patronize the place, but sadly it's a buzzkill. The menu is fine, but overall the portions are small for the price and offerings are only slightly creative (truffle fries are overdone, do something new). I will admit the pork belly appetizer was delicious and well prepared; probably the best thing on the menu. Maybe one day I'll catch it on a slow day and I'll be able to fully enjoy this place...

Molly L.

Great hipster bar with a great beer menu. We went here early in the afternoon and got 4 seats at the bar. We had fun ordering various (expensive) beers and shared the wings and fries. The starters were great, can't wait to go back for dinner. Yes, it's small, but that's part of it's charm. If you're looking for a bigger bar or a quiet bar then go elsewhere.

Derrick M.

Got to tell you I'm disappointed. When I walked in it felt very hipster. Old school movie on the TV and quiet music I couldn't quite make out. It was cool for a while. I ordered a beer which was great. Great selection but that's when it all turned. The music and movie started to seem depressing and the lone middle aged guy looking sad next to me wasn't helping. It almost seemed like I was being deliberately ignored while trying to get their attention to order. One waiter was drinking a beer in the corner then some random guy that I guess was leaving and apparently never returning so they all had to say goodbye. Then another random guy that had been gone for a while and everyone had to say hi. 20 minutes later I order and the food was fantastic. There was hardly anyone in there so the poor service seemed more like poor management. Like no one cared bit the chefs. The beer was a bit pricey, 100% mark up on the bottles, but don't worry because with service like this you won't be able to order more than one anyway. This was my first and last time here.

Trish F.

What's more relaxing after a water gun fight than a patio brunch in near perfect weather (I could always use a couple more breezes)? Okay.. besides a massage, a shower, and some dry clothes? Yeah that's what I thought. I told ya I'd update when I had the food and here I am! Note: getting a crab and avocado salad TOTALLY trumps out the calories of truffled gorgonzola fries when you order both. Just sayin. The crab avo salad was okay for brunch although I probably wouldn't order it again if I wasn't TOTALLY craving the combination.. however.. the fries were heavenly. Oooh soo gooooodddddd. Num num num.

Amanda G.

My favorite bar in Allston/Brighton because it isn't like your everyday frat boys college bar like everything else here! Small, narrow bar, but you can usually find seating within a few minutes and I've never seen a line. Have a late night menu so get the yum yum fries with your many beer/cocktail options. Dim lights and funky atmosphere bring you out of Allston...if only for one night. Go with a friend of 2.

Abby J.

Deep Ellum is my new favorite neighborhood bar. So many delicious beers (mostly imported and microbrews)... HUGE selection on tap... tastey and original food menu... cozy and classy atmosphere.... AWESOME staff. I love that I can walk in there, tell someone what i'm in the mood for and the bartender's friendly recommendation always hits the spot. (Try the Maharaja draft!) As far as food goes, i recommend to all the veggies out there to try their homemade vegan burger... meat eaters such as myself will love the grubbins and jamaican jerk chicken, and they make a mean angus burger as well. Friday & Saturday nights are a little too loud and busy for my tastes, but other than that the atmosphere is always mellow and chill. EDIT: since writing this review, their menu has changed... which i forgot to mention as being another one of their perks (although i do still miss the grubbins). the vegan and angus burgers will always remain a constant however, thank goodness... and the salad (whatever it may be that season) never disappoints.

Sandra N.

they have a great list of eclectic beers from all over the place--not just those hippy ones from micro brews in Vermont, but the super high alcoholic ones that are from Belgium. love. do get the homemade soft pretzels and buffallo wings. i also tried the skate wing and it was delish. it came with some kind of chutney, fried plantains and a deep fried risotto rice cake. do not get the peking duck wrap. a couple of my friends got it and it was so bad they sent it back. but what were they expecting anyway? getting peking duck made by a white guy? dumb. i miss you omalley's!

Matt D.

What more can I say good, inventive menu with lots of homemade stuff and great beer. They've earned my praise on multiple visits -- I've had my birthday party here, business meetings, catch-up-with-the-old-friends meetings and all went well. They even have a small back deck now. When there has been a problem management has been fair, friendly and responsive. (A duck dish came out too dry and was taken back with no questions asked; One of my friends from NYC bused up to Boston for my birthday and left his ID at home. The bouncer won't let him in, but after talking to the owner he was let in. I should add he is 34.)

David C.

Food, Good. The truffle fries and gorgonzola cheese produced a combination of flavors in my mouth that required the creation of a new word: slowgasm. Not only was I fantastically surprised by the fries, but I found new meaning to the word scrumptious when I tasted the sweet BBQ chicken tenders. The sauce's zest slowly built to a delightful burn as I ate more and more. My beer, a Rasputan, brought me to a place I don't think I've ever been before, and I had trouble finding my way back. The shangri la of restaurant experiences: Deep Ellum.

Maeling L.

We went there on a Thurs night. It was just what we needed. Cute little place. Not to crowded, but not empty either. Our waiter was this cute old man with a handle bar mustache. Had a gorgonzola burger, which was great and the fries were awesome. only down side is that they don't have a good selection of tequilas other than that there's nothing wrong. Will definitely return.

Tina R.

I really liked Deep Ellum. I loved everything about it: fantastic beer, quality cocktails, decent food, dark cozy atmosphere and deck out back. But the service at this place is awful, the only good experience I had with an employee was a male bartender when I sat at the bar...unfortunately the bar is usually full so you have to sit at a table.... I definitely understand that table service isn't going to be excellent at an establishment that's more bar than restaurant. However, the past couple times I have gone into Deep Ellum, the waitress has completely ruined my experience. I kept giving the place another chance for the obvious reasons, but last night was the last straw. The waitress completely ignored us when we entered, took five minutes for her to grace us with her presence. Asking for drinks was rushed and she tried to dip out before asking us about food which we wanted to order. She barked at my boyfriend rudely and abruptly walked away. Over the next hour I was able to flag her down once - she responded by putting her hand in in my face - she went to another table for a minute then returned to quickly get my simple order. The rest of the time we were ignored while she did a number of other activities, like sitting at the bar with her back to us. My boyfriend had to get up and go to the bar to get his second beer, she even walked by him while he was standing trying to order from the bartender and did nothing. She didn't do anything! Didn't bring our drinks to the table, fill our water, bring food, or clear our empty plates. She finally got us a check and didn't even say anything she just had a bitch pout on her face. Shit dude, if she cared about getting a tip she certainly didn't show it. We left her nothing, and that's really saying something coming from a full time waitress who always leaves at least 20%. I almost felt bad, we might have ruined her night, but she ruined our night and ruined my opinion of Deep Ellum. So it's okay with me if she had some words to say about us to her coworkers when we left. Maybe if my boyfriend and I conformed to the all to cliché Allston/Cambridge "hipster" dress code standards she would have paid more attention to us. Sorry Deep Ellum, maybe you just don't care about hospitality but you definitely should. A couple people pissed at one waitress may not mean much to you, but if it becomes a pattern you'll probably start to notice that most of the human population doesn't appreciated being treated like crap.

Stu L.

Best bar in Allston.

Ari W.

I've been here a few times - a couple of times for lunch and most recently just to try something different. For lunch I sat out on their beautiful wood deck which is built in such a way as to shield the industrial buildings in this neighborhood. My waiter recommended the "Klokke Roeland" a special Belgian strong ale which paired nicely with their delicious Reuben sandwich. I also had an interesting conversation with one of the owners (Max) about his business and I could sense the passion for what he does. Overall, the atmosphere is artistic/edgy, the staff really know their stuff and they always have a great selection of beers...

Brian G.

My friend is dating a waitress/bartender here so I stopped by to see him and meet her. I was there for about 15 minutes, but had a great time. Nice atmosphere. I didn't know what I wanted to drink and didn't feel like a beer, so I was made a whiskey sour FROM SCRATCH. All fresh ingredients... no bottled sour junk. It was really sweet but oh so tasty. It was quite pricey (covered by my friend though), which is why it loses a star. And I guess they have some vegan food here, but not a lot. Maybe I'll try that someday.

alexandra c.

I love this place for two main reasons: they have an amazing beer selection, it's so fun to try new beers when you go here. and the outdoor deck is awesome! went there on one of the nicest nights of the summer and it was so pleasant. even though there's a big construction site next the the deck, they've got really nice wooden walls and a tree that hangs over the wall and creates such a great space. definitely a great night out with a couple friends.

Rachel J.

Our go-to after work spot, this place rocks. The beers on tap change regularly and there is always a great variety, the soft prezels with beer cheese are to die for and the vegan burger is excellent (though I get it with cheese). I've had some okay food there, but all in all if you want a good beer bar to hang at with friends, this place is top on my list.

Dan W.

Deep Ellum pwns. Fantastic fries, love the gorgonzola truffle fries, and the beer selection is outstanding. The manhattans, the deck in back that makes you forget you're in Allston, the laid back atmosphere---makes me wonder what a nice bar like you is doin' in a neighborhood like this.

Delilah W.

I wound up at this joint by accident, and it blew me away. The cheese dip that comes with the pretzels is maybe the best cheesy goodness I have ever, ever experienced. The homemade veggie burger was absolutely delicious. The bartender new her stuff and they had a particularly well stocked bar for the area (more than just beer and Jack) and a great drink menu.

Leah C.

This place is one of my favorites. They have a great selection of beers, good music, and delicious food. The gorgonzola fries are fantastic and the best wurst plate has been great the couple of times that I've gotten it. I also really enjoyed their breakfast burrito.

Holly M.

I like it, I love it, I want some more of it. Great drinks for the beer drinker and non-beer drinkers alike. I loved that. The atmosphere was cool and relaxed. People were friendly and everyone was watching the game, of course! My friend and I had the burgers with gorgonzola, yum! The bartender was super nice and right on top of our refills, sweet! Parking was easy on a Monday night, great!

Will T.

Doesn't look like much from the street, but their beer and menu make it a great place that I can't stay away from. This type of place is why people get into ruts with dining selection...it is just that good. Love the Pretzel and Cheese and the Fries with Gorgonzola Aioli!

Christina K.

Lived roughly across the street from Deep Ellum until recently. After my dude and I went in for brunch in the spring, we were hooked. The menu is small, but the food is pretty good. Beer selection and cocktails are top notch. Treat yourself to a pretzel with the most amazing mustard ever and a beer from their cask. Staff are super friendly and knowledgeable. It can be a little overwhelming to have such a great beer selection at your finger tips, but if you ask for some guidance they can suggest some great drinks. Stop in on Sunday nights when one of the bartenders plays some records.

Michael G.

I love it! I'd been meaning to come here ever since it opened. Despite its close location, I'd never bothered. However, I finally made it here for lunch one day and was very impressed. The beer menu is comparable to Publick House with quite some overlap, but there are plenty of beers that aren't available there. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is great! For some reason, I felt like ordering the vegan burger and discovered that it was freaking tasty! If vegan food always tasted like that, then I could easily forgo eating another chicken or cow again. Deep Ellum definitely makes me happy as the latest gastropub in Boston with an awesome beer selection.

Tricia N.

The outdoor deck is great. Solid wings and gorgonzola fries. Good beer selection with a rotating draft list. Love it.

Megan R.

I love, love, love this place! The bartenders and servers are so eccentric & fun! I once walked in at 10 a.m. in the morning on a Sunday and they had just opened and caught the bartender doing his "wake up sing & dance routine." He was slightly embarrassed but it made the vibe of the restaurant all that much more endearing & unpretencious! If you are getting breakfast get the chimachanga! You may be paying for it later but my lord if it isn't drop dead tasty! Check it out! Great beer list too!

Emily D.

Went here with a group of friends in January expecting the Reel Bar, but we were surprised to see this new place took the space. They haven't really done anything to the inside, which is good because it's very warm and modern, but whoever's running it now is really into beer! My friend (who goes to beerfests) was so excited about the beer menu it looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head. The servers were fantastic, not hipster snots. The food looks good too but I haven't checked it out yet.

Amanda R.

overcrowded. This place has some great beers but isn't pretentious like at some other places re: how unique and cool their beers are. They have amazing cocktails. Usually restaurants that have veggie burgers have those frozen gross burgers that you can make at your house. Here, they make their own amazing vegan burger. I eat this every time i go and would be happy eating it forever.

Erin M.

This is one of my favorite spots for a cocktail. There's a fantastic bar staff, and they have a wonderful selection of beverages. As others have noted the food's a mixed bag, but one orders carefully, a fantastic experience can be had all around.

Jen F.

Love this place! Tons of great beers, staff is super friendly, back patio is great for a hot night, and food is pretty good.

Samuel H.

friendly staff, great beer selection, tasty food! i had the charcuterie plate, with some very delicious cured meats (allegedly all made in-house) and the creamiest duck liver pate i've ever had. then i got the duck confit hash, which was filled with duck meat and potatoes topped with 2 fried eggs. 2000 calories later i'm left very satisfied. and that's just brunch.

Chrissie H.

Always have a good time here: the beer selection is varied and interesting; the staff is knowledgeable; the food is really good & accommodating to most palates. They always play good music. This is an expensive night out, though. And get there early enough to claim a good table for your party.

Whitney W.

Deep Ellum has an excellent selection of beer and some exciting old-fashioned cocktail options. The mint julep was lacking but the pink lady was great, and the fact that one can order a pink lady at a bar is great in itself. The downside to Deep Ellum, though, is that some of the beers are overpriced (like the Rogue), and while the atmosphere is comfortable enough, there is something lacking in making it feel really cozy or homey.

Tom M.

Dropped in for the first time this week and was delighted. Low-key but classy decor, wonderful service, and an outstanding drinks menu. Our waitress was knowledgable, enthusiastic, and downright bubbly -- quick to help us navigate the pages of boutique brews. The menu is filled with exotic offerings, the likes of which you'd find at a place like Publick House or Sunset. But I loved that, among all the $6-$12 fancy beers, there's a cheap domestic section of the menu, with Schlitz, PBR, and the like -- important for nights you're going for more than two. The pretzels, which we ordered as an afterthought, came hot and fresh from the oven.

matthew h.

Excellent beer selection, cozy space, great staff. Once I saw that they carry a Rogue on tap (currently an Imperial Youngers) and also in bottles, I was smitten. (Okay-- drunk.) I first went there on a Sunday night and the crowd was decent, but not too busy, just the way I like it. I enjoyed it so much that I had lunch there the next day and the "grummlins" (Grumblins?, Gremlins?) were good. It consisted of pieces of cod inbetween two slices of potato and fried. Being a pretty accomplished aquatic carnivore I was glad to try something new. Served with fries and slaw and weighing in at $7.50, I thought it was a pretty fair deal. I can't wait to try other things on the menu. It was nearly empty so I was able to talk to one of the bartenders, Vernon, and Max, one of the owners. Both were very knowledgeable and it was obvious that they loved what they were doing. Unfortunately, the fact that it was empty tells me that all of you out there around Union Square area need to get out and support a local business! I can't wait to see what the place grows into. (I'd push for a roof deck!)

Maura H.

Rumor has it that this place was opened by ex-employees of Bukowski's in Inman Square in Cambridge. So, if you like the prices and selection of Bukowski's without as much noise and rudeness, I would check this place out. The beer selection is great although I haven't tried the food. I loved the minimalist decor. I'd like to keep this place a secret though because it's TINY.

Mr. A.

Want to meet bitchy girls that think too highly of themselves, and pay $5 for a can of Bud? Then come here!

Rave M.

Three stars till that lentil curry dish gets worked out! I really want to get to the point where Deep Ellum is one of my favorite neighborhood bars. The atmosphere is great, and so are all the specialty brews (I sampled one that tasted like I was drinking bacon... while this wasn't a good thing for me, I can see how some folks would like it). The menu is quirky, and I'm looking forward to a Spring/Summer overhaul. There is no snobbery here. The owners are really accessible and friendly. I'm in my late twenties, and it's sometimes hard not to feel aged in Allston's eateries/bars, but Deep Ellum is cool without being college. I like.

Seth J.

By far my favorite place for beer in and around Boston. One might think that merely because it's in Allston that its full of hipsters and bratty college kids, which is only partially right. It caters to an out-of-college crowd, as it's lack of Coors and Bud Light on draft point out, and hipsters are only a part of the diverse crowd I see there (Really, they're nice people, they just like bands you've never heard of more than is necessary). I used to be a regular, and saw almost every day an elderly couple have a drink (Looked like Manhattans - nice choice!). Their draft list changes frequently, and the cask selection is usually delicious! One of their house beers for at least a year was Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - win! Unfortunately, it's been replaced with something else, although most likely just as good. The bartenders and waitstaff and very knowledgeable about the beer, and will help you out if you have any trouble deciding. Decor is dark wood, a beautiful backbar, and black&white tile floors. Classy without being stuffy. Great music choices by the bar staff - I heard the Pixies' Doolittle and Weezer's Blue Album back to back in their entireity in one night. Huzzah! The food is great here. A small menu ensures that the tiny kitchen can make everything with care. The fries - served 4 ways: Parmesean, Chili & Pepper Jack, Malt Vinegar & Fleur de Sel, Truffled Gorgonzola - are great, and the burgers are to die for. House made sausage? You bet, and it's damn tasty too. Should you want a pretzel with your pint, they can oblige - served with mustard or beer cheese. Like I said above, their beer menu is great - 22 draft lines, a cask engine, and tons of bottled stuff that's rarely seen. Now, I'm not a cocktail drinker. I usually hate hard liquor, and foofy, fruity, sorority-girl drinks do not fit my bearded, lumberjacky demeanor, but their cocktail menu is BOMB. Very finely crafted classic cocktails are delicious and a nice change once in a while. They serve their Manhattans 8 ways, and none involve blue curacao or green apple vodka. Mint juleps come in pewter cups (classy touch), and the original absinthe cocktail is a show and a nice way to impress your date. They make their own bitters too! The only bad thing I have to say about this place is that it gets absolutely slammed on Friday and Saturdays, and the music gets a touch too loud sometimes. Hit it on Sunday-Thursday for a beer and a burger, and say hello to Max, the owner, who never hesitates to geek out on beer for a minute or two. I moved across town, and this place is no longer on my way anywhere, but I still make a pilgrimage every other week for some good times, good food, and great beer.

elizabeth s.

go for the drinks, not the food. i tried the couscous after the waitress assured me that it was "really good." WORST couscous i've had in my life. the (rather large) couscous balls were overly chewy, and the sauce was completely bland. fries were passable, but nothing to call home about. drinks were great though -- a real bartender that knows how to use a mortar and pestle. love the mojitos. last time i went for drinks they were playing cheesy pop punk. i think they'd go up a star if they could do something better with the music. a dj would be cool.

George O.

My favorite bar in Allston: laid back, good music, great beer selection, cozy, friendly bartenders, delciious burgers, amazing brunch.

Sheila M.

I had a really bad breakfast here, I was stunned actually at how someone could f' up biscuits so badly. My friend said his Reuben and fries were pretty good, so I could give this place 2 stars. But the fact that I waited forever for a bad breakfast brings it back down. I ordered biscuits and sausage gravy with a side of scrambled eggs plus a side of bacon. The biscuits were hard outside, nearly raw inside and the gravy was bland as can be with tiny pieces of sausage. The scrambled eggs were a small portion and looked wet and pitiful. So far I've spent $8. The 3 strips of bacon ($3 extra!) were like Oscar Meyer's, mainly fatty, and very underdone. If I'm paying $3 for bacon I want it to be good quality, or at least crispy. Coffee ($2) was only so so. So I spent $13 on a bad breakfast and that ticks me off. The waitress was nice enough but offered me more coffee and then never came back w/the pot. After asking me how the breakfast was, I came clean about the underdone biscuits. She apologized and said she wished she'd been over sooner to fix it. I'm not sure what they could've done to fix it though, aside from get me something else. Anyway nothing was taken off my bill. Which I guess made sense since I ate at least half of my really bad meal. Guess I'll have to bus it 4 hours to get my excellent "Hungry Bear" breakfast fix at Enid's in Greenpoint - warm fluffy biscuits, organic, locally made sausage, well seasoned gravy, and fluffy eggs with a bit of fruit on the side, and it is freakin' delicious.

Greg D.

I have been there several times, but only ate there once. That was within the last few weeks. It seems to me the place has gotten slightly run down. What was once a nice bar, and I'm talking the look of it, has deteriorated a bit since they opened. Granted its in Allston and run-down is common there. But seems to me they've let it go more than they should. In any event, it has an interesting concept. They don't really serve major liquors or beers, but instead focus on the independents. Which is kinda cool. The last time I went in I forgot this and ordered a captain and coke with a lime. The bartender reminded me they don't have captain, but have "sailor jack" as a similar rum. Fine I said. Truthfully, Sailor Jack just tastes like a cheap alcohol and was noticeably not as good as Captain Morgan. And yet, they charged me like $7.50 or possibly $8 (I don't remember exactly) for a relative small, like 10 oz., glass of this stuff. I thought that was a bit much. I switched to West Coast IPA after that and that was pretty tasty. But I think glancing at the beer and cocktail menu, its pretty clear while its a cool concept, a lot of it is way overpriced. Some of the beers are going for $ 9 or $10 a draft. On average its probably like $8 a draft beer. Cocktails are high too. Kinda ridiculous for a run-down Allston bar. I will say, this place appears to have its fair share of regulars. Fairly friendly place. Not much in the way of TVs except two small ones in each corner. I watched a World Cup match there, not so great a place for game watching. As for the food, its an off-beat menu. I tried the Meat Loaf sandwich and its the best thing I can say about this place. Absolutely delicious. Really. I would go back just for that and to try more of the menu. If the rest of it is as good as that sandwich, the place could go up a notch for me.

Yelena Y.

This place is great if you are under 25 and want to drink and feel cool. If you want real Mexican food, go elsewhere. If over 25 go elsewhere.

Karoline K.

When asked if they could spare some of the fries from the dump of cheese they put on them so I (lactose intolerant) could enjoy some truffle fries with friends who eat dairy... was greeted with an "absolutely not". So the waiter continued with "I'll show you what doesn't have cheese on the menu" no thank you sir. I've spent the last 15 minutes studying this menu and the best I could come up with was truffle fries for the table- some w.o the cheese, please. Not only did he not honor my request but he made me feel wrong and out of place for asking such a thing! Definitely never going back - customer service was horrible mind you it was an empty bar on a Sunday, you'd think think they would want to take care of the few who came in.

Umesh K.

Best Tacos in the Boston Area

Emily M.

I have been here twice and the food has been great both times. The reason for the 3 stars is that It is too noisy inside for conversation and the vibe is too hipster/pretentious for my taste.

Catrina M.

The food is incredible!! We shared the duck poutine fries, which are a must! I had the cheeseburger, my brother the breakfast burrito and my stepdad had the rueben. We were blown away at how good the food was. Service was very attentive and friendly as well. Not blown away by the cocktails, I had a margarita, my mom the diablo marg and my stepdad had the eggnog cocktail. Food definitely wins. Good beer list though. Highly recommend! looking forward to trying the taco bar...

Hayley I.

The food and drinks here are awesome. The beer list is great and I have never had a bad meal or drink. The reason I'm giving 4 stars is because some of the waiters and bartenders can be a bit snarky. I've been there multiple times(I live right up the road) and nearly every time someone has been a little rude. But like I said the food and drink are awesome and it's not going to stop me from going.

Jessica B.

It's good. It's a bit trendy for me. It's usually crowded and im not sure I've had a waiter ever smile or be nice to me.

Carrie P.

Really, really good food. Went with a group of friends and ordered tapas style - wings, poutine, mussels, burger with truffle gorgonzola tries, deviled eggs, and the mac and cheese. I do understand that this may be the most horrific combination of foods for my health, but for my tastebuds they were oh so perfect. The buffalo wings literally may have been the best I've ever had in my life, and I am something of a hot wing connoisseur. The deviled eggs were quite good. The burger was excellent. Aside from the wings the truffle gorgonzola fries were probably my personal fav. The poutine was good, but I preferred the truffle fries. The cocktails were incredibly strong and quite yummy. I had a really interesting drink that had bourbon and Swedish punch listed as the ingredients. I asked the waiter what Swedish punch was and he said it's just what it sounds like, a bunch of liquors mixed together.... Not exactly what I think of when I think of Swedish punch, but it was quite delicious and potent nonetheless. It is probably a blessing that this place is absurdly crowded all of the time because otherwise I would be tempted to eat and drink like this far too frequently.

Erik S.

I can't even count how many times I've been here. Enough so that I've had just about everything on the menu though! They really know their beer. Not only can they pour so you get a nice head, but they get the temperature just right for every beer. Sunset Bar & Grill might boast more taps, but Deep Ellum knows how to the serve beer. I can't speak more highly of their brunch. There's nothing better than getting their hot buttered rum and french toast. Tasty combination! They do some great things with duck too. I live the duck confit hash. And for the vegans/vegetarians, the veggie burger is delicious. I suggest trying it with their homemade habanero bbq sauce.

Nadia N.

The food is good. Typical brunch menu. I took off points because it is freezing inside the restaurant!! You can't even take off your coats to eat.

Tom D.

My favorite spot! Drinks are awesome!

Damien S.

After yet another heartily satisfying venture through the undoors of Deep Ellum, I figured a four-year update was beyond necessary - it's mandatory. Still the same step-above beer selection, spouting Oktoberfest brews unseen elsewhere. I quaffed the Rauchbier Marzen, an incredibly smokey amber lager ($8 for .4L) and munched on an uncharacteristically desirable vegan burger (also $8. Magic number?). Seared, seasoned and sitting with fresh L, T and P, the wheat gluten patty held up well under starving paws and a ketchup/mustard wash. As far as veggie patties go, all hail seitan! Bar is just as well maintained as during its opening time almost 50 months back, and I can't wait for patio season to strike back. Deep Ellum is totally recommendable for visiting anyones you'd like to impress.

Von D.

Meh-

Kenda W.

I love deep ellum. Delicious mixed drinks, a good selection of beers, and vegan bahn mi on the menu-- could I ask for more? It's small and cozy and a great place to grab drinks with a few friends.

Kathy M.

It's so sad when you order from an out of date menu...such is what happened to me two nights ago at Ellum. I was really pumped to order something then something completely different arrived :( Other than that, everything else was ok. Good beer selection, nice waiters. Parking can be tough. Hopefully, they will make sure people are ordering from updated menus in the future.

Emily M.

THE MUSSELS ARE AMAZING! French fries in this amazing sauce at the bottom of the bowl. Just try it.

Michael L.

I need to try this place more. It's got the right atmosphere and beer list for me. As I'm sure others have remarked it is small and tends to get very crowded and tight, but not unpleasantly so (in my opinion). The few times I've gone I've always had a pleasant time. Just haven't gone enough to have a had a great time that will put the review over the top. I need to try the outdoor patio in summer.

Yue Z.

I love the drinks at this small hole in the wall bar. It gets crowded quick, particularly on popular evenings and weekends. There is a long bar of about 15, and 10 tables of 4. There's a nice back deck for warm summery evenings. They have my favorite drink, the blood and sand , made particularly well--always worth points in my book. I'm also a fan of the old fashioned, hornet's nest, 1845 Pisco punch (woot pisco!). Their beer selection is also fantastic. While I prefer to think of this place as a great watering hole, it also serves great food for the hungry. I'm a fan of the poutine, burger, and mac and cheese. For brunch, the duck confit hash is amazing. Whether you roll into this place for a night out or a ladies brunch, it does not disappoint.

Jason D.

Excellent food. Beer is excellent, but expensive. Nice outdoor back patio.

Julia M.

Buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy. OMGGGGG. This makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Suneer C.

Solid place! Great selection of food and drink

Peter R.

F it. if this is what hipsters are all about, then I'm in! who gives a shit if you have to listen to some new remix of some Montreal band by some no-name DJ covering a B-side of Grant Lee Buffalo mixed with some old Stooges tunes... this place rocks because the food rocks! hook me up with the charcuterie plate, son!

Guy S.

After living in the area for almost 7 years this is probably my favorite spot to go to in Boston. The Beer - constantly rotating extremely on point selection. Staff is always more than willing to give tastings and help you find just the right beer for your mood. The Food - Their buffalo wing sauce is my all time favorite and the chicken is always cooked to perfection. Highly recommend the moules frites and the truffle Gorgonzola fries. Tip - it's a pretty small place so there can be a wait for a table sometimes, but it's never too bad. When the weather is nice there is an open patio in the back. Also be sure to check out their sister bar next door - Lone Star Taco & Tequila bar, equally epic!

Jenn G.

I love this place!! They have such an awesome selection of beer and cocktails, and their gorgonzola fries are AMAZING. It's a little bit out of the way for me, but when I get a craving for those fries I make the trek. I usually end up splitting with one or two other people, and it's surprisingly filling. The prices here are great too! The beers range about $6-10, and they're all really delicious. The sides are all pretty cheap (truffle fries are $6) and the food is awesome. My only complaint about this place is the size. It gets incredibly stuffy and its difficult to figure out where to stand without being in the way. The bouncer/host suggested that we go to the bar next door in the meantime and that he'd come and get us when our table was ready, thats how small it is. Thankfully we ended up getting seated quicker than we anticipated, so it all worked out.

Whitney D.

This is a great bar and a warm atmosphere. The drinks are unique and inventive, and they have a huge beer selection. The appetizers are decent, nothing special. We've come here for brunch several times, hoping to be more impressed than the last time, and it just never happens. We continue to go for the drinks and environment, the back deck is also really great! And the staff is always wonderful and very knowledgeable. But again, the food is lacking.

J M.

Made the trip down to finally try it and came away wondering what a lot of the hype is. It's good, don't get me wrong, but nothing mind blowing...though the truffle/gorgonzola fries were something to behold going by to another table. Bartender was lame, ZERO personality and didn't want to be there. Beer menu was all over the map, and expanded beer menus are my deal. Wasn't impressed with a bunch of obscure beers that didn't even pique my interest. Nice round of prohibition style drinks..and decent brunch. 2 pieces of duck on the specialty duck hash served in a 4 inch skillet wasn't working for me. Keep the hipster repellent handy.

Joe C.

Love this place. This is probably my favorite in Allston. Beer selection is rotating and delicious. The menu is pub/bar fare elevated to the next level. I'd say that primetime for crimetime is between 11-1 on Sunday morning (hopefully before the place gets too crowded). The brunch menu is exactly what you need after a successful saturday night. Last time I had duck confit hash (came with homefries and two fried eggs). If the weather is nice, try to grab a place on the back deck. The place can get crowded and packed with hipsters but what did you expect?!?! We're talking about Allston, here. Always looking forward to the next time I come here for brunch and beers.

Qui C.

One of the best bars I've ever been to. And that's saying a whole freaking lot. It's small, dark and very cozy. It's not your average bar - here at Deep Ellum, it seems you have to be seated. No one stood, not even at the bar. Great music, chill and fun vibes from everyone there. The beer selection is fantastic! All these imports that I have never been able to find anywhere or even heard of or seen. There's a glass specific to each beer like in Europe. 5 stars for that alone. I love that Deep Ellum make beer drinking an overall experience, not just some sleeze place down the street. But dont get me wrong, I love me some sleeze sometimes ;) Onto the food. I know, you're thinking good food at a bar, no - think Great food, restaurant style food. Fried Calamari - best I've had. The best I've had. Parmesian fries How can Boston be filled to the rim with all my favorite places. It's just makes living in LA so much harder.

Hunter T.

Simply the best restaurant in Boston for craft beer lovers. Pros: High quality diverse selection of craft beers. Excellent menu pairings. Seasonal outdoor patio. Cons: None Deep Ellum is a required destination for anyone who truly loves real beer and fine food. A healthy selection of Belgians, ales, IPAs, session beers, lambics, and other exotic imports are on constant rotation on tap, as well as an excellent bottle selection. You will find many of the highest rated beers from BeerAdvocate and Ratebeer at DeepEllum. For wine lovers there is a good selection and they have a full bar for cocktails and shot liquor. The food menu is not as extensive, but more than makes up for it in flavor and composition. Dinner entree highlights are the Steak Frites, Best Wurst Plate, and Pork Schnitzel. The burgers are always cooked correctly and notable appetizers are the charcuterie plates and the always incredible truffled gorgonzola fries. The atmosphere is lively and casual at Deep Ellum. Larger parties may need to arrive early to get seated but if the patio is open it is much easier. This is a fantastic place to get together with friends to enjoy an evening out and makes for a great date as well. 5 stars

Dorise G.

I love nearly everything about this place, except when it's crowded. And then I just wish it were less crowded, but I don't love it any less. I would like to bat my eyelashes flirtily with the following amazing things about the Ellum: ~Duck Confit Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese ~Calamari ~Drink of choice: Fernet Buck ~BRUNCH: Duck Confit Hash and the best Bloody Mary's in town (how many local Bloody Mary's come with pickled green beans?!) Bartenders and servers are great, food is incredible, ambiance is chill and there's even a back patio for a nice summer night. The Ellum is one of my favorite Boston haunts, hands down.

Matthew H.

I've been going here since it opened, and it's long overdue for a review. The long and short of it is that I love this place. The food, throughout its time here, has been stellar. I do miss some of the menu items that have disappeared, but like any good roster, sometimes the old must make way for the new. I recently had the opportunity to try brunch here, and it was another hit out of the park. I had the breakfast burrito, and while a bit of steam would help the whole thing seal a bit better, I can't complain about what was inside. Very delicious and filling, perfect for a hangover breakfast. My only critique is that the plate looks a little empty with just the burrito and orange slice... maybe a small salad or a bit more fruit? Anyway... really tasty. My friends had the duck confit hash and the Fall River french toast, which were both outstanding. I've also been here countless times for dinner and late night eating. I haven't tried the dinner fare in a bit, but I can say that the charcuterie plates are consistently great and the pork belly is definitely worth a get. I'd say the poutine is one of the best in the city too, with Deep Ellum's already great fries smothered in duck gravy, cheese curds, and a sprinkling of fresh rosemary. The rosemary really really pulls it together, and I find myself craving it right now. The beer menu is really well thought out, offering a lot of items on draft and in bottles that you might not find at other local "beer bars." The prices are reasonable, and each beer is served in an appropriate vessel. The cocktails are also outstanding and feature some house-made ingredients as well. In short, they do the drinks well. Now that they have a late-night menu, I really think it's stepped itself up in terms of being a go-to spot in this area. Having a back deck doesn't hurt either. They own the taco joint next door too, which by all accounts is excellent, but I never seem to make it over there because the poutine... it calls to me...

Kim V.

I came here for brunch as a last minute decision. The other place I wanted to go to was closed (I can't remember it, but it's ok with me!) I had the duck confit hash and my friend had the biscuits and gravy with eggs. I am not a huge drinker, but my friend assured me that the beer selection here is good. I'll take his word for it! It's been a while since I've been there (we had brunch on the patio, so that's gotta tell you something), but when I think about the meal, I remember it like yesterday and it makes my mouth water. What a hidden gem this place turned out to be!

Kathy Y.

I came here on Labor Day after we worked out since we were all craving brunch. They didn't open until 11am, but it was worth the wait. We had the patio seating it was a beautiful day. Food was very well priced - the drinks were okay priced - a little on the pricier side for drinks i thought. I ended up having the Duck Confit Hash, this was so delicious and a good portion. Good amount of potatoes, 2 eggs and duck of course. My friend had the BBQ breakfast, that looked delicious too. it was a big texas style toast with pulled pork over it and an egg. that portion looked too small for him, but it would've been perfect for me. I ended up having Sangria with it, it was a little on the lighter side. I definitely would go back to try other things on the menu and would recommend this place to eat. It's pretty good for a bar.

Christopher M.

Deep Ellum is a bar, first and foremost. The fact that they serve food you'd be happy to eat sober is just a bonus when you're drunk. I wish I could recommend a dish, because I know I've ordered the same thing several times and it's been epic every time, but I'll damned if I was so drunk I just can't remember. If worst comes to worst, get a handful of things off the starters menu and gorge yourself. Remember, calories don't count if you're too drunk to count. But if you like gin and have a bit of a sweet tooth, the Aviation Cocktail is stunning. (p.s. parking suggestion: drive past the Walgreens and take a left - there's a ton of non metered, non permited parking down Penniman Rd and along Braintree St. It looks sketch, but I've parked there overnight and for days at a time and never had a problem)

Selena K.

Weird location for a pretty hip spot with awesome food and a cocktail and beer list to boot. Recommend heading over for brunch when it's less crowded but definitely worth the wait. Recommend the burger - so tasty. Extensive beer selection on tap will keep any beer-lover happy too. Worth the trek over to Allston.

Kim K.

Eh, kinda hyped up by the time I got myself to Allston to go here. Some of the food is inventive, fresh, and served nicely (i.e. the cheese plate). But the vegan burger was just a plain old, greasy, dive-y menu item. Ah well. Ambiance is alright. Super cramped and too loud though. The bartender was awesome though. And prices are reasonable.

Michelle R.

Deep Ellum is one of my favorite places to go in Boston. Yeah, it's crowded, yeah, there are a lot of hipsters. No, you may not get the best service, especially if it's busy. But the food/drinks make any shortcomings irrelevant. The vegan burger (homemade seitan!) is amazing. I hate vegan burgers that taste like frozen vegetable discs, and find that in most instances, servers have no idea whether or not they're actually vegan. I love that this isn't a problem, and that both the kitchen and wait staff respect and some knowledge of vegans and that we actually do like to eat. and there's more than one vegetarian option, which is also nice. I've never had to wait a super long time for my food, even when it's busy, and it's always fresh and delicious. The space can get cramped, but the patio out back is open in nice weather and much more comfortable than inside. And if you can't find a seat, try looking next door at the taco place. I think it's run by the same people, and the food is equally awesome (but more like tapas) and they have mugaritas. bomb. just. bomb.

Allison R.

What's wrong with me?! It took me 6 years of living in Boston proper to get my ass out to Deep Ellum. As both a self-proclaimed beer aficionada and hermit, I love beers but don't get out that much any more. Luckily, I did make the trip to Allston this week with the intent of throwing down some beers, and that I did. Rauchbier on draft? Okay! new American-brewed Saisons I'd never tried? Great! Mix in an IPA or two? Sure! Oh, and a cheese plate? On a candlelit patio? Friendly, knowledgeable waitress? WIN. I know, it's in Allston, but that's okay. Just go. Drink beers! Be happy.

Michael K.

Friend was denied entry for his speech impediment. Yikes.

Lady S.

This would be my second choice if I want to spend just time for myself when eating lunch... just me, my beer, my food and my computer. Daytime is pretty quiet bar, but the atmosphere is good. No one will bother your space while you are in your thoughts. Night time it is totally the opposite is a pretty crowded bar, last time I went it was so crowded that i had to leave the place. Because the bar is small, the place it's too loud. I definitely recommend this place for lunch to a person who wants to have some time for herself or himself. And if you lucky you might be able to enjoy a quiet dinner if the bar is not busy on weekday. Food is great! I haven't tried the entire menu, but I like the hot dog with chili, the pretzels, the Deviled eggs, wurst appetizer, charcuterie sampler and calamari. Not to crazy about onion soup which is one of my favorites soups. But sometimes I order it. Being there and I've never tried the meatloaf sandwich, is that going to be my choice tomorrow? Also, the special desserts are a surprise for me... sometimes I have it sometimes I don't. I love their fruit tarta!!!

Keith A.

I went here on a recommendation from a friend while I was visiting the area. I came here specifically for some beers as I already had dinner. I got here around 7:30 on a friday night. There was a good crowd in here but it wasn't too hard to get a seat at the bar. The list was very good, especially since this isn't the biggest place in the world. Lots of NE stuff along with belgian and other domestic beers. The draft selection was deep and all of them being quality. I was here for about an hour. It had been a long day, so I wasn't in for a long haul, but the service was nice and I had to have some smuttynose from cask. I wish I could've dug deeper into the beer list, but so it goes. Still, this was well worth coming to

Tanika M.

I was expecting this place to be amazing since it was on phantom gourmet but it was okay for me. Their menu was good but I feel like every time I asked for a condiment they didn't have it. It's not your typical brunch they are specific in what they offer. Food was good. It was not packed when I went. Maybe I got there too early for brunch hours.

Jessica F.

This place is amazing! The Bloody Mary is spicy and exactly what I needed with the pickled green bean. The menu is flavorful and creative, smoked meats and great beers! Can't go wrong.

Marcia H.

Love this place! Staff is super friendly, great draft list and cocktails, love the poutin fries and all of the sandwiches!

Natanya A.

I told the bartender very generally what type of cocktail I wanted and she made me one that was unique and absolutely perfect! I had the falafel too, and it was great. The place is pricey, so I certainly couldn't make a habit of going there, but it was worth the money to check it out!

Mary P.

I had a pretty amazing tasting meal on the patio today with my Portuguese sweet bread french toast, a beer, and some gorgonzola fries. The french toast is just THAT much more amazing because of the sweet bread. Its like that Hawaiian bread you buy at the store cut into giant Texas toast sized slices and covered in an egg batter and served french toasty with powdered sugar and a whole pouring thing of maple syrup. The truffled gorgonzola fries are just ok. They're very basic french fries covered with parm and gorgonzola cheese. A bit too cheesy for me and I found myself needing the ketchup badly. I'd rather try the malt vinegar and chili fries but I was outnumbered. The biscuit and gravy is too sophisticated for my southern roots. Its not creamy or sausagy or thick enough. The biscuit is too clean. The whole dish is just too fanciful to be allowed the name biscuit and gravy. No thanks. Still the experience was worth the trek from the Harvard Ave stop on the green line.

Gina T.

Lovely charcuterie board! Stopped by before going to a show in the area to grab drinks and dinner. On a whim ordered the Best Wurst plate, which was duck and pork Szechuan sausage with chilled soba noodles and a fried egg. Sausages had amazing flavor, but were too salty for my taste. I can't say enough about how accommodating this place is! The manager (owner?) very graciously replaced sausage with a charcuterie board. My husband's burger was excellent and with an anaphylactic allergy to dairy, he had no incident... Great experience all around!

Juliana C.

At the thrilling conclusion of my last review, I had spent $30 on food and drinks at Russell House Tavern. Outcome? Still hungry. Womp, womp. I had heard the words "Deep Ellum" bandied about in my past three weeks in Boston, and, being determined to eat all of this fair city as soon as possible, I tossed it in the ring for the next feeding frenzy. Approved and executed. The bar was dark. I noted this to the bartender, who said (and I quote): "It's a bar." I smiled and shut up. I liked the place already. The guy seated on the stool to my right also turned out to be a bartender, off duty (it's always a good sign when staff hang out where they work). Steve cheerfully took over my perusal of the draft list and steered me to a few delicious selections -- a saison and a belgian white ale -- based on my personal taste. He also hyped the chili, which turned out to be great, and the gorgonzola fries, which were phenomenal. I had a black angus burger, and it was gone in 60 seconds. The bill was way less than RHT's for a meal that was far more satisfying. Lesson learned.

Elizabeth S.

I came here with a beer aficionado, who promptly asked each member of our party his or her favorite beer and then ordered something similar. It's tiny, so I'd recommend coming during a weeknight, off-hours, or preparing for a long, long wait. We waited. Fried calamari, big pretzels with beer cheese, gorgonzola covered fries, buffalo AND barbeque chicken tenders. Gourmet bar food? Check. Quality? Check. Smuttynose pilsner? Yes, please!

Jason J.

I love that Deep Ellum has a carefully curated tap list that does away with all the nonsense of favoring the typical crowd-pleasers of many Boston area bars. Lord Hobo, you have a competitor, or perhaps a brother in arms. My falafel sandwich was essentially inhaled, and everyone else was pleased with their meals. After a few beers I noticed the cask special: Stoudts Bourbon Barrel Aged Double IPA. My taste-buds converted from atheist to God-fearing with the first sip. It is now 3 days later and I am still salivating in fond remembrance. The hostess and waitstaff were all wonderful and managed the overflowing bar and tables flawlessly. Hooray! Random anecdote: The first part of my group (sans your favorite Yelper, Jason J.) arrived 10 minutes early and somehow managed to get a table and round of beers at the place next door before the rest of us showed up without realizing it was in fact not Deep Ellum. Mistakes happen, but seriously, Lone Star Taco Bar is a, ahem, taco bar, and Deep Ellum, well, its not. My friends are dumb.

Joanna F.

Don't judge a book by its cover! This tiny beer bar in Allston has amazing and sophisticated food! I got the fried gorgonzola salad... This was the perfect mix of healthy and sinful. I didn't feel like too much of a glutton even though I was eating some fried food and the addition of baked sweet potatoes in there was unexpectedly yummy. The cheese plate was also fresh and delicious. Need I mention the beer list? That's reason enough to come here. Service was iffy at best, but I'll be back for everything else.

Sarah C.

Brunch Review: Not really sure what the hype is here. It was just OK. Glad to have checked it off my list - probably won't go back for brunch (bar + snacks are a different story - yum!). There weren't a ton of creative options, though really not a ton of options in general. I got the French Toast which was good but a little boring, and the side of corned beef hash that came was basically strips of corned beef with undercooked potato chunks. Not the best. The service was very strange, but the outdoor patio is lovely. So, I would say don't go here for brunch (though I have heard their bloody mary's are awesome so maybe they're worth it?), but head when you're thirsty and want some warm pretzels with beer cheese.

Melissa W.

Holy hipster batman. Pretty sure the one toddler in there was in hipster training. Any hoo the deviled eggs were awsome as were the truffle fries. $10 for a mini drink is not a good thing.

Erik O.

Great Beers with a , mixed crowd, solid (but not mind blowing food). They have a nice patio as well. sorry. not much else to say about this place. i gave it four stars. if you like good beer, grab a few friends and go. get some of their fries. they are pretty good.

Gregory W.

Beer selection alone would be 5 stars, the food really brought down the rating though. Pretzel with grainy mustard was the star. We also got the truffle parm fries, buffalo wings, and the duck mac and cheese. The fries were good but its really difficult to go wrong with truffle cheesy fries. The buffalo wings were huge and tasty. They were deep fried and when they were presented, were not crispy at all - soggy as hell. Had they not been soggy they would be top 10 buff wings in town. The biggest disappointment was the mac n cheese with duck confit, squash cubes, and some greens. This was a disaster in my book - the flavors just didnt seem to mesh and the whole thing was over salted - no excuse for that. Will be back for more beers and pretzels, maybe try a sausage or worst or something but we were expecting much better on the food we ordered.

Pat H.

this place used to kick ass. until they got rid of the old pretzels and beer cheese and replaced it with artisan crap.

Tai Chi C.

Love it a great place to celebrate.

Sarah F.

Best place ever. I started to write a list of all my favorite things, but it was pretty much the whole menu. Plus the staff and crowd are always friendly. Beer! Charcuterie! Brunch! Yay!

Ali C.

Went here for brunch Sunday morning - what a treat! Delicious...no perfect bloody mary (lots of flavor, not too spicy). My eggs were delicious, and sitting out back I got a nice tan :)

Edwin C.

Wow, who would have known that quality food would come out of this little pub? Besides a good morning cocktail (will admit had a few in my time), this place actually serves pretty decent food. You would never know, until you took a look on the menu. Like, you come into a dark little bar, with the bartenders/employees tattooed from head to toe, expecting to be greeted with a "wtf do you want?", but surprisingly it's the total opposite. The menu is pretty impressive, the kitchen not so much (looks like only 2 people can fit, back to back). I'd definitely would love to be working in that kitchen on a nice 95 degree day, sikeeee. The grub that comes out of this place could probably satisfy the pickiest eater. Besides the morning Bloody Marys I've had here, I've also tried a number of things on the menu. Food I've had: country fried steak (probably the best I had in Boston) with a side of corned beef hash, duck confit hash (small, but tasty), french toast, skillet fries. This place is definitely a good breakfast spot, but be prepared because it can get a bit packed in the morning. Definitely 2 steps up from IHOP or Dennys. Who wants breakfast with OJ when you can have breakfast with OJ and vodka? Oh and if you're just there to drink, a good snack is the 2 pretzels and beer cheese. Very interesting, I'm a fan, worth a try. Good people good food. They serve Banh Mi's too, who's willing to try?

David S.

food is just okay.. great bloody mary!!

Monique S.

Yes for craft beer! I've been here twice. Once for drinks and another for food and drinks. The beer selection is so huge. I can't wait to go back and try more. The seitan burger and fries is a hearty meal. The warm pretzels and mustard are just the right amount of saltiness and tanginess. The place is dark. They were also playing the Garden State Soundtrack which provided some solid background music.

Stephanie T.

I came to Deep Ellum because a friend invited me to brunch and suggested this place. I am always up for something new, so I said why not? Their drink menu is quite extensive. Many options available for the drink connoisseur. I decided on the brunch staple...the mimosa. I feel that mimosas are a hit or miss. Sometimes there is too much OJ or champagne. However, I was very pleased with the Deep Ellum mimosa. A perfect ratio of orange juice to champagne and the orange slice was clearly fresh. Now onto the food. I had the French Toast with a side of bacon. The french toast was average. Not bad but nothing out of this world either, it was a solid meal. My friend had the breakfast chimichanga. After looking at the breakfast chimichanga, it made me wish I was a bit more adventurous with my meal choice. My friend said the chimichanga was a little greasy but not bad. This place doesn't take reservations and its a small, so expect to wait a bit. Luckily I didn't have to because someone had left as I walked in and there wasn't a line. The ambiance is great, very relaxed. Overall a good experience. Not a place that I would make an absolute brunch go to, but if you want something solid this is a good place to go.

Jason A.

Deep Ellum has got one of the best vegan burgers in the Boston area, or had, rather....They got rid of it last time and replaced it with a Banh Mi sandwich which was also pretty good but I definitely missed the burger. The fries are also fantastic, the ambiance interesting and a great beer list. Definitely recommended.

Moe B.

I've been to Deep Ellum once. For all of the rave reviews I've heard word-of-mouth, it really wasn't anything special. The food was pretty good, but not amazing by any means. It is pretty cramped in the restaurant, which wasn't a problem because many places in the area are tight. The server was the biggest downfall of our visit. He seemed annoyed by us and rather stressed in general. It wasn't very pleasant for our group. I probably won't be visiting again.

Dallas C.

My girlfriend and I decided to check out Deep Ellum due to its good Yelp reviews. They had a good selection of cocktails and beers without having so many that the options are overwhelming. The food is pretty good bar food. My main complaint and the reason I gave 3 stars instead of 4 is that the pork schnitzel was extremely bland and lacked any flavor what-so-ever. However the bleu cheese fries and werst where very good. It was a fun little place and I would definitely go back but just not order the schnitzel.

Mike H.

Great place to drink good beer. Intimate space is cool but sometimes requires a wait outside.

Wendy L.

This place really surprised me because it is tucked away in a small corner of Allston/Brighton. I came here for dinner with a couple of friends and the majority of what we ordered was above average bar food. Their Risotto is very heavy and creamy but delicious. The Steak Frites were a little tough - maybe because the server didn't ask my friend how she would like her steak cooked. The spinach dip that came with the Steak Frites was amazing though! Their Pasta was good and the Sausage very flavorful. They also have a ton of variation of fries here so if you love cheesy, gravy fries this is your spot. They have pretty good red sangria and a lot of craft beer options. This place is extremely dark...we had to use our phones to read the menus. We didn't get to check out the patio because it was raining but will be back for that on a nicer day. The food came out fast and the service was great.

Jennifer R.

Years ago, a girl walked by a new bar in her neighborhood. A couple weeks later, she dragged her friends to said bar. It's been love ever since. Deep Ellum has knowledgeable servers, great taps and mixed drinks, a perfect summer patio, and, yes, gorgonzola fries. I like to sit at the bar so I can watch the bartenders mix drinks and pour pints. I will always travel to sit at this bar and hang out.

John S.

Tasty sandwiches, attentive bartenders, and televisions showing old war movies. I like you, Deep Ellum. You're Allston in bar form.

Andy G.

This restaurant is by far one of the best places to eat and drink in the Allston/Brighton area. The beer selection is not huge, but a good selection. The food menu is small, diverse, and always delicious. Sometimes we come here just for a drink and dessert, and we're never disappointed.

Michael B.

Monkfish was just right! Drinks are always good. Nice atmosphere.

Jas L.

this is definitely not a pub; that's just silly. its a small eatery with not many seats, but the wait time is pretty quick. I heard there is a deck, but dont quote me on that one. the food is complex, not like on a difficult level, but on more of a nicer food for allston. In fact the food is scrumptiously awesome and on point. large portions, but somewhat expensive, but not expensive for what you are getting.. ok the finer points; beer. this place has a select, nice, and thrilling choice of beer. yes they are somewhat expensive but you wont find plum beer anywhere else as far as im concerned. wait staff are very cautious of your privacy, but boy do they know how to be attentive; just the right amount.. this is a terrific place to bring a date; trust me on that one.

Kelly O.

Had dinner here recently, and I must say it was superb... the coq au vin was absolutely lick-my-plate delicious and it was cheap ($17 I think?). Highly recommended for both drinks and food, that plus the warm service and wonderfully cozy ambiance makes this one of my go-tos in the area. UPDATE: brunch is excellent, cheap, and served every day.

hoil c.

came here last night for a late dinner and drinks around 10PM with a buddy. best meal i've had in a while in the allston area. great service, amazing beer selection on tap as well as bottled. we ordered: Apps: Charcuterie platter- never had charcuterie before, but the platter had all sorts of housemade pates and head cheese, venison sausage, smoked salmon and mustard relish with pickled veggies. holy crap this was good. great start to pair with beer. Maple Habenero wings- hands down best wings I've had in a very long time. better than bonchon, soul fire, or Sunset. Huge wings, perfectly cripsy and smothered in this awesome sweet and spicy sauce. I don't know how but the wings stayed perfectly crispy with the sauce all over it. and the wings were huge. get dirty use your hands. you'll be licking the sauce off the plate afterwards Best Wurst: Housemade brat with mustard relish on the side and pickled veggies. another awesome app to start with a good beer. Entree: Skirt Steak with bone marrow butter with truffled gorgonzola fries. Bone marrow butter!? i had to try it. the steak was perfectly cooked and the fries were like nothing else. It should be a crime to eat this dish. Only thing is, I wish they didn't salt the steak too much, it was perfect already with the butter on it. Braised lamb with some kind of cous cous paired with it and broccoli rabe. This lamb was super crispy and browned on the outside and melted as soon as you bit into it. I couldnt get enough. and the cous cous was awesome, creamy cheesy, paired perfectly with the broccoli and some sweet fried raisin fritter thing that came with it. salty, sweet, awesome flavor pairing. Staff is very friendly and attentive. They know their beer, so if you get overwhelmed by the drinkselection just ask whats good. we left nothing on our plates bc the food was crazy good. would have gave this 5 stars if the steak had a little less salt on it. but it was still stellar. bill came out to 100$ including 4 drinks. my go to spot in allston now.

Kacie M.

I came here for brunch one day with a friend who was in town. We sat down, looked at the menu, and realized that we were not in fact at Deep Ellum. We were at the restaurant next door. We slipped out, hoping no one would notice our mistake, and got a seat at the correct restaurant. I asked the waitress if their orange juice had pulp and when she said it did, I said I would just have water instead. She came back a few minutes later with a glass of orange juice that she had strained the pulp out of. So nice! I ordered scrambled eggs with toast and the truffled gorgonzola fries. It was a slightly odd combination, but I couldn't come to Deep Ellum without trying the fries. Everything was delicious, but I ordered too much food and couldn't finish the fries that day. I took them home and they actually reheated fairly well. Their drink menu was intriguing and I would love to come back someday for cocktails. And maybe some more fries.

Rosemary H.

Simply the best. Cocktails are fantastic and the food is superb. The beer-cheese giant pretzels are to die for. Excellent ever-changing beer selection. They also have great brunch (highly recommend the biscuits in gravy with a couple of fried eggs) and a very nice patio they open in good weather. The waitstaff and bartenders are all really nice and attentive without being overbearing. My only complaint is that this place is TINY--it can be quite a wait for a spot at the bar or a table if you come at peak hours.

Nik B.

Deep Ellum's charm will keep you returning if you live in the vicinity. The employees are all great. I talked to the doorman once and since then he recognizes me every time. The bar tenders are all very friendly and will answer any of your questions regarding the drinks to the best that they can. If you ask for a drink not on the menu, and they're not familiar with it, they will look it up and make it for you (my bartender was unfamiliar with the Corpse Reviver No 2). I recently had a very well made Blood and Sand here. All the flavors are very well balanced, with the scotch being at the forefront but it still has the cherry aftertaste. Also, the special imported cherry that is dropped into the glass is delicious, has some olive-esque qualities to it and a great texture. However, I also feel like most drinks made here are more diluted than I would like, as if they're shaken on ice just a little too long. What pushes the high quality of this bar is the fact that their food is great. Everything is well made, flavorful, and in good size portions. You might pay a couple dollars more for the food here than you would at any sports bar, but its worth it.

Sarah G.

The name Deep Ellum has this sort of weird draw or attraction to it---maybe it is because it is the name of an area in Texas, and most people in New England probably haven't ever heard of it before, hence all of us being pretty intrigued by this place! We definitely asked one of the owners why it was called that, and he gave us the whole low down, which definitely explained some of the texan decor on the walls, including a giant photo mural that was mainly comprised of gun and ammo stores ha ha Way to perpetuate that stereotype all the way up here in Boston! ha ha Overall, this bar is dark, and REAL narrow, so I wouldn't come here with a group any larger than maybe 5-6 max, unless you want to be standing in one of those really awkward trains of people where you can't hear one the person at the end of the train is saying at all. But it has a really nice homey feel. The crowd is pretty mixed here, but I don't think this is a place to come and meet people at all. Come with your own friends. And if you want to eat here, this place was packed table wise with food orderers. I hear that the food here is good, so maybe I'll check that out next time. What I did check out was their extensive drink list--they have a ton of different specialty cocktails, and they have that "specialty" price tag on them as well! They were pretty good cocktails though, but for my budget, I don't think I could afford to stay here all night. And the bar tenders could have been a little nicer. Heck, the owner was nice, shouldn't the bar tenders follow suite? But this bar is definitely a good reason to head to Allston, just make sure you have plenty of room on your credit card before you go!

Cris L.

I'm very grateful I live around the corner from this place. Honestly, it's a great spot with great food and an even better beer selection. I took a friend who has a small brewing operation here and he loved it--so it will satisfy the true beer lover. The food is gastropub quality and pretty reasonably priced. The parmasean fries are AMAZING. You must try them! It's fairly small but they have a nice patio out back. A bit hipster-ish but the place is legit good. If you're in the area, definitely stop in.

Leslie W.

Went in undercover as a hipster ironic t-shirt and oversized glasses. Turns out I didn't need to. Friendly staff and patrons. The pork schnitzel was amazing. All of the cocktails were well balanced and delicious. Great aviation and Tom Collins. Favorite drink, the white lion. I'm a sucker for falernum.

Anthony G.

Beer: awesome. Cocktails: awesome. Food: out of this world. Deep Ellum really knows how to treat its customers. We waited out side for a few minutes before they sat us at a cozy table in the back. Service was attentive and drinks arrived promptly. The charcuterie was great, the cheese plate was insane, the sausage was awesome, and the gorgonzola-truffle fries were some of the most diabolical morsels I've ever eaten. Must. Go. Back.

Angela C.

This is the my friends' go-to bar in Boston, so I guess I was expecting a bit more. The ambiance didn't impress me too much - it's a long, narrow restaurant - the restaurant is almost the length of the bar area. The exposed brick walls were nice though. They have a lot of unique cocktails on the menu, including several that were made with egg whites. I ordered the Ramos Gin Fizz ($9), which is gin, cream, egg, and orange blossom water. After one sip, I thought it tasted like milk - a watered down version at that! My friends tried it and said it wasn't how it was supposed to taste. The bartender made it incorrectly. We notified the waitress, and she immediately took it back and let us know that the owner (who she said was an excellent bartender) would make it for me. The two drinks were like night and day! The version the owner made was a perfect balance of sweet and creamy. De-li-cious. We also ordered fries to share. They have four different fries you can choose from - we got the parmesan-truffle fries ($5). Things infused with truffle oil don't really impress me that much - it's an expensive ingredient, but you can barely taste it. The fries were nicely fried and thinly sliced. Nice place to grab a drink and some food with friends.

Lisa B.

A friend and I are checking out Lone Star- their sister next door- later on tonight, but I have a feeling we'll also come over. I haven't been to DE since.... 2008? Could it possibly have been that long? Anyway, I really only am writing this because I *DEFINITELY* have a facebook album from 2008 from a night at DE titled "Gorgonzola Fries!" Many years later, I can still taste those amazing morsels. Glad to see they're still a hit.

Molly M.

I've since been back a number of times since writing my first review and it is still perfectly executed each time. Recently (dec 2013), my boyfriend and I went for a late dinner and our server was so, so friendly, helpful and seemed genuinely happy, which made our meal that much better. It's great to see actual service somewhere.

Alaina B.

Delicious. We went with a regular who raves about their food. Did not dissapoint. Only had so much of my food leftover because everything was so good we ordered even more. I can't even remember all the food we tried, because our friend just ordered everything he thought we'd want to try and then we picked out the entrees we wanted. It was all delicious, especially the bite of veggie burger (that they make themselves) I exchanged some of my soup and green goddess salad. (My boyfriend swears I tried some of his burger, too, but the veggie one just stands out in my mind) I've been dying to go back next time I'm in town. I have many dietary concerns, and try to keep things as preservative free and local as possible, and Deep Ellum allows me to do that with such delicious food. :-)

laura W.

I had heard this place was good, but it's INCREDIBLE! First off- it's a BAR that serves soul warmingly delicious food. Don't be mistaken. Secondly- it's one waitress and the bartender and ... it gets pretty busy. It's dark, it's loud, and it's so worth it. Drinks are a nip spendy- usually about $6-7 for beer and about $9 for cocktails but the selection is very impressive. There's a great list of appetizers- deviled eggs, calamari (INCRED!), fries four ways, and so on. yum yum yum. For dinner, we got a meatloaf sandwich ($10, pretty good, but could've used a little more texture) and the best wurst ($16, THE MOST DELICIOUS MEAL IVE HAD IN MONTHS) which is served with a brown sugar (maybe?) gravy, mashers and green beans. we had a wonderful experience- and i can't wait to go back.

Brita F.

I came for the beer, I stayed for the atmosphere (But mostly the beer). --Haiku review

Kerry N.

As far as I'm concerned, the best thing that has happened to Allston since I moved here fifteen years ago. I probably eat lunch here once a week (if you drive park in the neighborhood behind the drug store with the massive empty lot--bastards tow.) The place is wide open during lunchtime on weekdays. Forget the weekends if you don't want the crowd.The burger is fantastic as are their salads. The beet salad right now is terrific, and I don't care too much for root vegetables. They make Poutine that you will learn to crave if duck gravy, potatoes, cheese, and rosemary sound appealing. It's a totally insane thing to eat, but just try it with a recommended beer and see if you don't love it. Next time you can have the beet salad! Right now, my favorite cocktail is Summer in San Paolo, which you can drink on a sunny day out on the patio. The service is friendly, knowledgeable, and never asks "how we doing over here?"

Elena A.

Pay a visit to this hidden gem in Allston if you're in the area. Get here early as the place is very popular and it's hard to get a table. It is absolutely worth the wait though. They have a nice little patio in the back. No wonder it's crowded - food and drinks are the best in this area and very reasonably priced. I loved the werst appetizer - sausage with mustard (so good!) and corn&crab fritters app is big enough to have as an entree. Great burgers and truffled gorgonzola fries. Deep Ellum has the best margarita in Boston "el diablo" - get it. It's not made out of the disgusting mix, it's the real s#% - smokey, spicy and strong.

Tina S.

Spent a wonderful afternoon here! Drinks are amazing, staff is excellent!!

Ms. S.

The drinks are fantastic, just a notch below Eastern Standard. The quality of the food varies, but overall, it's pretty tasty. The food is a bit overpriced for the quality and the portion size, but this is definitely a neighborhood spot that guarantees a good, but not excellent, experience.

Aaron H.

Love it. Love the multi-tiered patio, love the garlicky mashed root veggies that came with my most recent Best Wurst plate (homemade sausages!), love the unique finds on the beer list, love that every time I bring folks here they rave about the place and I feel like a restaurant picking master. Walk through any front door in metro Boston and there's a statistically significant chance you'll find yourself bathed in the repro Edison bulb glow of a smallish, stylish gastropub. But Deep Ellum distinguishes itself without feeling overpriced, forced, pretentious, or anything other than the comfortable, tasty spot you'd hope it would be. As I said, I love it.

Lisa B.

I found this place on yelp and stopped by for dinner last night with a friend before a concert. The reviews held up. The menu was great, a lot of options for both myself and veggie friend. We started with the deviled eggs. They have a different recipe everyday along with the house eggs. The house were great with capers and dill. A nice starter and reasonably priced. I had the Reuben and was really pleased. Standard recipe but good quality ingredients, great corned beef. I was not a fan of the Cole slaw that came on the side. It tasted like it had brown sugar in it. Too sweet for my taste. My friend got the green goddess salad and she loved it. The atmosphere is fun. Loud music, but good music. Don't come here if you want to be able to talk on a date! Haha it's more of a fun bar atmosphere with good food. They did have a cute back patio where you could eat outside. They also had an extensive bar menu with a ton of old fashioned cocktails.

Nicole R.

This may be one of my favorite brunch places, even better than East Coast Grill's-and that is one of my fav's. Rockin' service for brunch, the severs we're super attentiveness walked in with my 8 month old. I would expect servers to shutter as I walk in. I had the breakfast chimichanga, two words un-believable. My husband has the biscuits and gravy. They were touched by God. Totally spiritual. I will be back for drinks and dying to try din din. Thank you Deep Ellum.

Paul M.

Ok food, but slow service and cranky staff. Overpriced for what it is.

Ryan C.

I drove by this place a million times because coming from Boston, its hidden behind a huge Wallgreens.....HOWEVAH! I stopped in with a friend of mine who's a regular and knew his way around the menu, and it was a really delicious and comfy experience. We sat up at the bar and had a good view of some thorough and delicate drink making. I must admit I didn't try a cocktail (just being a cheapo at the time) but they had interesting sounding recipes and it looked like the bartenders really took some pride in their craft. It was a rainy day so I had a delicious porter beer, the beer-cheese pretzel bits and also the sausage plate. The pickled vegetables, flavor of the sausage, and pretzle/mustard combos all went together perfectly. The dark beer and pronounced flavors along with the atmosphere made it a very memorable experience. I've since come back and had several meals...the general execution at Deep Ellum is above average especially for a Brighton Bar. The only knock I've heard is some of my friends think Deep Ellum is a 'hipster' bar, but I don't judge a place by its clientele. Its dark, but not too dark, bustling but not too noisy, and as far as I could tell there were just hungry people there who had some style.

Nicole T.

So this is my first and only yelp review because I am so depressed as to what happened at Deep Ellum a few weeks ago. Deep Ellum used to be my boyfriend's and my go- to brunch spot. Whether it was solo or with a crowd it was always a hit, and I often recommended it to friend's in the area. Hands down best bloody mary i have found in boston (including Parish, legal, etc.). Unfortunately Deep Ellum decided to re-vamp their menu and take off both of our favorite items- skillet fries and chimichanga. Forcing me to leave heartbroken, i dont know how they could take away my absolute favorite Boston breakfast. To add insult to injury- they still have all the ingredients to make skillet fries on the menu, but would not accomodate my request to still order it. Will be back when my favorite is hopefully returned, or will be mourning its loss until.

Anne S.

This place is great! Their Gorgonzola truffle fries make my mouth water. Great cocktails and beer selection. It's a little out of the way for me, but definitely worth the hike. The service was pretty good, but the music was a little loud, even while we were seated on the porch. Not a big deal, and definitely wouldn't stop me from going there again and again.

Katie V.

...and back to 4 stars. For three reasons: 1: Service was comically slow/bad tonight on the deck. After 2 hours we still couldn't tell who officially was our server. Anyone we could wave down was what we ended up going with, but it took 15 minutes to get water and menus. And the waitress we tried to order food with could not answer basic questions about the menu, like what the daily sausages/sides were on the best wurst plate. Was I really the first person to ask? It was weird. 2: I burned the SH*T out of my hand on the skillet that the best wurst plate was served in. Server failed to warn me that the plate was HOTTER THAN HADES. So now I have a nice big red welt on my left palm. Boo. 3: They always run out of the BBQ brisket breakfast. Always. Often before noon. Here's a hint -- make more of it!!!!

Aaron S.

Drinks are pretty awesome. Great variation with the flavors and unique liquors they utilize. Food on the other hand, is ok. Certainly nothing to write home about. I've eaten here a few times and have always found the food to either be under seasoned, or incredibly salty.

Jared B.

Favorite bar in Boston. Beers, cocktails, food, service are all great. Only suggestion would be to put some better lighting on the tables so you can read the menu! Lone Star next store is pretty good as well (same owner), but only if Deep Eullum is too crowded.

Samantha M.

Love! Had the best wurst appetizer - yum! And the green goddess salad, which was delicious. I'm a huge pickle creep and loved all of the pickled items on the menu and in my salad. Especially pickled grapes! Delish. Had 3 cocktails and walked home a little tipsy. Especially liked the el diablo margarita. Our server was very nice and didn't make fun of me for mispronouncing the pisco punch, and the rest of the staff was nice too. Not to mention outdoor seating! Excited to return for brunch.

Christopher C.

Excellent beer menu, but incredibly loud. A friend who is a brewer was visiting town so we decided to go check it out, along with all of the other famous beer spots in the city. No doubt about it - a great beer list. But the music was so loud we had to yell at each other to have a conversation. Why is this appealing? Given the quality of the beer menu, I could easily see myself going back, having a beer in their back yard, and giving this place a high rating.

Kento T.

Great place to go with a couple of friends and have a good talk. Nice and cozy. Great location where all the 20 year-old with fake ID's and drunk on bud light wouldn't get any close. I have only drank beer here, but the food menu seems pretty nice. Small beer menu with rotating taps. GREAT selection (sometimes could be a bit pricey though). Especially if you are into a lot of different kinds of beer, you will only get the best in the category. Unfortunately I pretty much drink only IPA's so when they don't have much IPAs on tap, it could be an awkward night trying new beers that I might not like.

Andrew M.

A pretty nice bar all in all. I did not get to check out the back patio this summer, but I've heard it's sweet. I was very impressed the scotch selection though, and in general the effort they put into their liquor menu is impressive. Also, the service has been knowledgeable and friendly each visit. I was actually a little disappointed with the food though. Very few vegetarian options and the ones we tried were not very impressive. Also, it's PACKED fri/sat night to the point where I wouldn't really bother going if it's after 9:30. I feel like a few years ago this was probably a really cool place to hang out, but unfortunately it seems to have been taken over by the legions of Allston hipsters. Still, definitely worth checking out. Just a little bit overrated in my opinion. Maybe 4 stars if the patio is as nice as advertised.

Karen D.

Has the makings of a cool place, but missed the mark. I went in here with my boyfriend on a late Sunday afternoon. We sat at the bar. There was a good enough buzz in there without being crazy. The bartender was not welcoming, although he made decent drinks.We ordered a couple of appetizers that were OK, but as we were sitting at the bar, it dawned on me that Deep Ellum could use a deep cleaning. I probably wouldn't have noticed at night, but in the day, you could see all the shelves and everything on them seemed dirty. Some liquids in jars and bottles above the bar were dirty as well. Another bartender who came over to us later was nice, but it was kind of too late and I was already turned off. Decided to take my dollars to another place.

Neil T.

Fantastic food (truffle Gorgonzola fries!), craft beer, great service, and casual atmosphere. A gem of maturity in an otherwise student dominated area. A tad pricey but a lotta worth it. Great first date location. Also packed almost every night of the week - Fridays and Saturdays expect the music to be loud. Great back patio and the staff could not be friendlier. I highly recommend the "Mexican Happy Meal" for any occasion: a 12oz beer, a shot of tequila, and a shot of the most delicious non-alcoholic beverage I've ever had called a "sangrita" (think spicy Bloody Mary) all for $10. Also if you're wondering why your life may feel empty it's probably because you haven't filled it yet with what may possibly be the best wings in Boston. Maple habanero BBQ wings to be exact.

Christina G.

I finally made a stop here for some late night food and drinks. It's a small place that draws in an eclectic mix of people. They have a great drink/beer list and a really fun appetizer menu. The atmosphere is laid back and loud on a Friday night. It gets pretty packed, but you can still enjoy yourself and the staff can still manage to be friendly and accommodating despite the crowds. Living outside the city, I probably wouldn't make a special trip out to go here. It's definitely a local place. I do want to come back for brunch though. I've heard its pretty darn good.

Josephine L.

The boy and I came here to play wingman/-woman for a friend and the experience was very mixed (the dining experience, not the date). The wait was at least an hour for our table and there's really not much room to wait as the restaurant is of the long, narrow variety. So lots of up close and personal time with the people around you. Yay, new friends! The waiter had serious snarky 'tude--not the good kind that makes you laugh but the bitter, resentful kind that makes it obvious he hasn't gotten laid in at least half a decade. I did not like him. However, the cocktail list is superb, with lots of great variety and plenty of options. I tried the Original Aviation (tasty) and the Vanilla Flip (gluttonous decadence--delicious!). Definitely recommend those. Food is casual-but-slightly-upscale American. The Truffled Gorgonzola Fries are just as delicious as they sound (seriously, cheese + truffle oil...How can you go wrong?). I'm not a big pretzel person but others liked the Steamed Pretzel. I got the Pasta Verde which came piping hot in its skillet. It was satisfyingly hearty, filled with rotini, summer squash, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, fresh green pea puree and parmesan but certainly didn't blow my mind. The boy got the Best Wurst Plate, which was very tasty, but then it's sausage and when does sausage not taste good? I tried the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and that was quite good too. Nice and crisp. Didn't stick around for dessert but I'd come back here if I happened to be in the area (it's pretty out of the way for me) for more cocktails. Hope I don't get that waiter again, though, or at least that he's dealt with his "issues" first.

Andrea K.

Mother daughter brunch time! With daiquiri

Bryan E.

I love this place. So many good times, great beers, incredible meals, and once the back deck opened up it took it to a whole new level. If you haven't been here, you should go. Only thing is......... this is the loudest bar in existence. I can deal with the allston hipster crowd, the wait is worth it, but damn the place is almost impossible to hold a conversation without screaming some nights. You should still go though. :-)

Christopher M.

I've been to Deep Ellum many times over the years and I have to say it's still got the best burger in the Allston area. Owner is great and the staff can recommend great brew selections ... The only downside is how packed the place can get on a busy Thurs, Fri, Sat nite. Great for a simple dinner on a weekday nite with some tasty, never heard of, brews. Never cheap, but worth it. Feel like spending more? Grab a $10 cheese plate with a few chunks of cheese or an over priced soft pretzel with hot mustard. Never cheap, but always tasty, just how your mom used to advertise.

Robert M.

Went there to meet up with friends and had a good time. However, I wish the music was slightly lower. I know, I'm old, but I still dig on some smooth jams and I don't like yelling over dinner to people. That is my only slight complaint about this place. Very good.

Danie R.

So sad. Hair in our fries. Lipstick on my water glass. Cold beer cheese. Quality of Gorgonzola has declined.. It's almost plastic-y now. Also, price discrepancies between the menu and your bill? Terrible disappointment how things have gone downhill.

Joshua M.

I went to deep ellum on my birthday a few months ago, and I couldn't have asked for much more than to sit on their back patio (it was a warm day in October), sip on their old fashioned, and munch on their fries. You should always be worried when a customer goes to a restaurant and it's their birthday. They are bound to have very high expectations and their hopes are so easily dashed. Well, Deep Ellum should be a safe bet for even the most self-centered, whiny birthday-celebrators. The staff are friendly and quick, the bar staff are knowledgeable and willing to taste you on some really awesome spirits if you engage them in conversation, and the atmosphere is exactly what you'd expect from a slightly pricey establishment in allston.

Paul M.

My friends and I wanted to goto Lone Star next door but there was 45 minute wait so we check out Deep Ellum. I walked in Deep Ellum and some guy pushes me with his giant belly outside and asked me, "what's your problem?" I realized there's a bouncer and replied, "oh you work here? Here's my ID." The giant belly guy said, "you know, I don't have to let you in here." The staff was just as moody. The drinks are good, but small and overpriced. Advice: goto Lone Star next door.

Leesha Z.

I came to bar hop in Allston last Thursday and this was by far my favorite stop! It reminds me of my favorite bar in Providence. When we walked in, we were greeted by the door guy who was very friendly and kindly asked us for our IDs. The place was dimly lit and had plenty of seating. We immediately got a seat at the bar and I grabbed the cocktail menu. I was super impressed by all the choices and it was hard to choose. The bartender was quick, very friendly and made an excellent cocktail! The music was awesome, too! I will definitely be revisiting Deep Ellum on my next trip up to Allston.

J F.

From negronis to beer to their gorgonzola fries. This place provides a suttle and classy feel to a casual bar. This was the first bar i went to in Boston and I left quite satisfied each time. (Except when i brought over a glass filled with a 'hurricane' and was not permitted to enter.. Somewhat understandable, yet nevertheless a hindrance towards my goals for the night)

Matthew D.

The best bar in Allston. Actually, in Boston. They only have 25 beers on tap, but they'll have stuff you won't find down the street on the larger menus. All the bartenders are well-trained in the cocktail arts. The owners are big time drink nerds and come up with their own concoctions. The space is nice and intimate, the TVs are usually playing AMC or TCM. The patio is enjoyable on a warm night. The chicken wings are my favorite thing on the menu. Because they are unique. The buffalo sauce has some kind of cinnamon spice. It sounds weird; but it's awesome. Lone Star next door is just as well-executed. And they have Mezcal. A lot of it. I guess my main complaint is that the place is too damn popular! :) Getting harder to get a seat on the weekends. Or on warm nights.

Nancy Z.

I like this place. A lot. Deep Ellum is on the outskirts of Allston's center, which means you'll probably be seated next to someone that's tatted up or a laid back college kid/young professional. The age group is mainly 20's and early 30's, very down to earth yet there is a quiet yet lively buzz. It's not White Horse Tavern, it's not Sunset, and it certainly isn't Tavern In The Square. It is a compilation of Allston's greatest beers and food in an all-grown-up setting. You've got your Sixpoint, Clown Shoes and Dogfish Head variety like it's nobody's business! There's also a modest but lovely wine list, and by the sound of some reviews- fantastic bourbon. Good alcoholic drinks don't get you a 5 star review though. Good drinks and great food do. Yeah, you see those words "Gorgonzola Fries" in bold up top? They are damn good. A heaping plate of hot fries tossed in truffle oil then topped with Gorgonzola cheese topped in even more truffle oil is the (let's take it back to the 90's) bomb diggity. Expect to be pleasantly surprised when you're greeted by the most friendly guy in the world. He checks your ID, he IS nice and actually gives a hoot. Bartender was awesome as well. He took his time recommending the perfect drink for me even though the place was packed. He could've just tossed me a menu and told me to order, but he took the extra step. I went here a few times... I didn't care for it much before, but you really do have to spend some time to appreciate how sweet the staff is, how many beers you haven't tried yet and food that will make you want to sit on your ass and get fat all night. Purse hooks under the bar table was the cherry on top for me. Try it though. I think most of the negative reviews are just because people aren't comfortable in the type of atmostphere Deep Ellum has. For me, it reminds me of my favorite bar- except it's three times bigger!

Carolyn R.

Excellent food. Excellent drink. Attentive and exemplary service. Had the Poutine, pretzel and beer cheese, cheese plate, Reuben, and burger. Backlash Riot IPAs all around. Delicious!!! Would return, 5/5. Our waiter must have had a PhD in hipster food service, bravo!!!

Katie D.

I love love loveeee Deep Ellum! The owner and staff are soo friendly, and the drinks are yummy! I can't wait for the weather to be nicer so I can enjoy a delicious brunch outside on the patio. This place is totally worth checking out, never disappointing!

Brandie S.

This is a great place to go for late night eats! Or anytime of the day really. My experiences have always been very pleasant and they have a great setain burger to satisfy my vegan drunken cravings. This past weekend after the Apache Relay show at great scott, my boyfriend and I made our way over around 12 and we got there around 12:20. It wasn't to busy so we were seated quickly and our server was very nice and attentive. The food came out hot and fast, and the kamikaze shots that I got were tasty. We will definitely keep coming back when we are in the Allston area.

Shannon L.

Really enjoyed this bar in a college town minus the college kiddies. It has a great outdoor patio and on a warm night, a fruity beer goes down so perfectly. Actually, there are a lot of beers but I'm too big of a wuss to try them. For appetizers, they have a "fries done four ways" thing on the menu which makes you think that for one price, you get at least two but the price is per style. I split the fries with parmesan and truffle mayo ($6) and even though it looks as if you're getting ripped off, it was quite delicious. Closes at 11pm on weeknights.

Jason M.

Where do I even start? The beer list is divine. The cocktails are elegant, creative and delicious. The wait staff is fun, flirty and amusing. And the food? Awesome. Let's describe the experience as it was too good to forget. My fab buddy Laura and I met around 4:30 and started off with a beer and cocktail on the back patio. The weather was gorgeous. Everyone else was adorably hipster and tattooed. When the other friends met an hour later, we were happy. An order of Parmesan fries with truffled mayo and hot wings later, our palates were pleased. The drinks kept flowing. I quickly switched to cocktails. They have quite the list of Manhattans. Since three of our group spent some time in Louisiana, I might have had three Louisiana Manhattans. Other drink highlights? Mexican Happy Meal. It's a shot of Tequila, a shot of something red (that's apparently tomato-based) and a can of beer. Seriously hilarious. As the day continued, we started getting friendly with the staff, all asking them what kind of bird they would be if they were a bird - Max (the owner) - A Manager Bird (google it) Casey - Wild turkey Steven - A bird of paradise Ted - Snowy owl Ted might have been afraid of our rowdy group. Steven was one of the best servers ever. Casey was hilarious (ask him to describe the sangria in three words...). Max was friendly and welcoming. As a side note, Max likes to bike late at night, after 3am. He says you can learn where all the potholes in town are located. Needless to say, we learned a lot about the staff... except for Ted, who was afraid of us. Anyway, the food was also delicious. I had a Gorgonzola burger with Gorgonzola fries. The burger was perfectly cooked. The brioche bun was tender and soft. The lettuce was crisp. The Gorgonzola sauce on the fries was delicious and tangy. Seriously one of the best dining experiences in Boston. I will be back. You'll know me... I'll be the one asking you what kind of bird you are (I'm the rare and ellusive FROBIN, part fox, part robin... google it).

Terra N.

Truffle Gorgonzola fries are so yummy. I love my comfort foods and this totally hits the spot with a double or imperial IPA, which is always changing there. It's great that they have local brews from Cambridge Brewing Company to my favorite Avery Brewing in Colorado. The staff are really friendly and work as a team. There was a really excellent doorman who carded us and even though there were no seats readily available on a Friday night; he helped us out by asking people who were kind of just dawdling at the bar if they were almost done so me and my hot best friend could grab a seat. The noise level is energetic with my kind of selection of music. Most of the people who come in here are pretty friendly too and you have to be since the tables are packed close together and it's a narrow room. Can't wait for it to be nice so we can sit outside, and I have yet to try their sister restaurant next door for some yummy tequila. I'm missing a star because their wine selection is okay, but their cocktails are for a more refined palette which I appreciate (with a couple of things thrown in there to please everyone).

Melissa M.

I gotta be serious with you. Deep Ellum so does not do it for me. You know, come to think of it, Deep Ellum never really did. I think I sort of went through the motions of "liking" it and tried to incorporate it into my life. But, this relationship just was not going anywhere. Hi Deep, It's me. Yeah, you look nice with your bangin' back porch, but you kinda smell. And, well, I don't like the fact that you don't serve the veggie pasta anymore -- especially in a high Vegetarian neighborhood. I liked the veggie pasta, why don't you wanna give me the veggie one anymore? You like meat now? Is meat really better than veggie? All right, all right, I tried to give you my time and money. But, you did not treat me like I need to be treated. I need to have jelly with my toast. Hell, I even need to have toast with my toast -- none of this burnt crap sans jelly. Not good. I will take the high road and say a farewell to you, Deep, but it hasn't really been real. It's been surreal and we both knew that this was not going to work out since day one. Yeah, we tried, we kept up appearances. But, when it comes down to it, I know what I want and I know what I like. Deep, I don't want you. I'm sure there are lots of other people out there for you. In fact, I might see people lining up for you, but I won't be there. I'll be at home, on my porch enjoying my pasta the way I like it. Best, Melissa M.

Susan C.

Cute space with a cool vibe. The staff is nice and attentive. I like to go here to drink and if I want food I will go next door to its sister restaurant, Lonestar. So yeah, the food.....most random menu... I can eat brunch there but dinner is a no go. Nutmeg seems to have found its way into random dishes and completely ruin them for me. Nutmeg buffalo wings? Naaaahhh.

Bruce B.

This place is great it has a great beer selection and excellent food. The beef short rib was very and the pretzels are delicious.

Susanne H.

Decor was pleasant, nice, dark wood, a nice long bar, downside they only had two tv's. Music was somewhat on the loud side for a beer bar, in my opinion, especially because it was so crowded. Selection was great, extremely very good. Several non-belgian imports, belgians, west-coast beers, and really a number of local brews. Costs had been on the high side compared with bars within the region, but is most likely worth it in case you want the selection. Wait staff was great. Bartenders had been a bit overwhelmed but had been still fairly fast at serving us. We drank slowly and had been asked quite a few times if we required anything. All had water glasses which had been kept full. Polite as well because they said goodbye when we left.

Rachel C.

I love going here with my girlfriend on a little quiet really satisfying date. The food is very tasty, the staff is extremely nice and the atmosphere is all in all quaint and relaxing. The have a wonderful selection of beers and good drinks. We always try to go there around 5 because sometimes people start pouring in later than that and it may be hard to get a table. Love this place.

Arnold W.

Pretty fun place. We came here for lunch. It's a bit too early for me to have a drink. The drinks are pretty good here, pretty strong. Our waitress was for Ojai... go local 805'ers!!! Anyways, the food at this place reminds me of my work area (downtown SantAna artist village). The fried calamari is pretty good, the sauces are good. I ordered the skillet fries, very good especially with the gravy and sunny-side-up egg broken within the fries. I ordered more fries, the truffle ones, very flavorful and rich! Definitely worth a try. I had the meatloaf sandwich. The sandwich is just okay, not too great. I've had better. Meatloaf wasn't flavorful enough and having that "freshness".

Jeff W.

Pretty awesome bar with a pretty awesome menu. Stopped in twice over the weekend. Once for a night cap and again the following morning for brunch. Both experiences were positive. The beer list is impressive and the food superb. We got pretty lucky with the weather this weekend and were able to eat outside on the patio. Not something you get to do very often in November. I had the Portuguese French Toast which was made with sweet bread and was freaking delicious. I didn't get to try everything that was going on at our table but all were happy with their meals. The Duck Confit Hash looked amazing.

Jane R.

Delicious and creative cocktails plus amazing food (GET THE WURST PLATE - IT IS AMAZING!!!!!!) For food, come early as it gets crowded fast. They have a great back porch to sit and eat and drink in. It's definitely a gem in Allston. If you are cool with the laidback hipster vibe as well, this is the perfect place for you.

Adam C.

Since it's only a couple blocks from the legendary Sunset, comparisons are tough to avoid even though these places are totally different in vibe and approach. That being said, I'll take Deep Ellum 99 times out of 100. Yes, it offers "only" around 30 taps, but everything here is pretty solid and they cover all kinds of ground from classic American IPAs to Belgian sours and German doppelbocks. Honestly, when you have a gaudy number like 100 drafts, there are going to be a huge number of throwaways of no interest to me (here's looking at you Left Hand Milk Stout) or it's too many to manage and keep stocked (sorry Meadhall but you still suck). So it's a good beer bar, but what about the other drinks? While I won't rank Deep Ellum among the very best cockail bars in the city it's nice to know that they are both proficient and creative. I've definitely had some solid original recipes here and recommend trying something adventurous. I've only had the food a couple times but it's been worlds better than Sunset's. Unfortunately the service here has been uneven in my experience, which accounts for the lost star. I find it a bit disorganized when crowded and a bit disinterested in general. Nevertheless, I'd still go here over the vast majority of Boston bars.

Pam L.

I am so glad that I visited this place during my trip to Boston last weekend. I went on a Sunday night when it wasn't so crowded yet still lively. Recommendations were spot on: Vanilla Flip $9 - this cocktail tasted like melted vanilla ice cream (Pic yelp.com/biz_photos/vdO-… ) Truffled Gorgonzola Fries $6 - amazingly delicious snack (Pic yelp.com/biz_photos/vdO-… ) Deep Ellum is a friendly neighborhood bar with some tasty and affordable eats. If I lived in Boston, this would be one of my regular spots. I know I've converted at least one Bostonian already!

Jeb F.

I love this place. This is where my pals and I go if we need: - to bitch about women, work, etc... - to pregame before a real night out - for delicious food and beer - to be among a hundred hipsters in horn rims and plaid. When the weather gets warm, this place is only made better by the back deck. Sometimes, they trot out this "game platter" that has meat like duck, wild boar, venison and whatnot. It's so damn good. I hope they do it again soon. Lastly, the bartenders are beer experts who WILL get you drunk on the perfect beer for you.

Ryan V.

I love this place. Great revolving beer menu that includes either a cask or engine style beer. Pretty great food. I recommend the Big Easy. Had a problem with service one night, and it can sometimes be hard to get a table, otherwise it would be 5 stars. The best place to sit is on the outside patio. Other than ringer park, this may be the only outdoor drinking venue in Allston.

Lisa O.

LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEE!! Imagine me singing that! I love love love Deep Ellum. First, the drinks. An awesome beer list and interesting, handcrafted cocktails make it almost impossible for me to decide what to drink here. But I know that no matter what I pick, it's going to be good. Then the food. I haven't eaten here much, but I can tell you that the last time I was here, I scarfed two pretzels with beer cheese and couldn't keep my hands off my friend's rueben and gorgonzola fries. I don't even LIKE ruebens. And yeah, you heard me right. Gorgonzola fries. Really, all that right there is all the reasons you need to check out Deep Ellum. Do it. Now.

Jack M.

Surprisingly amazing food. A friend and I went here for lunch. And also for a beer or two. "Deep Ellum" is actually a neighborhood in Texas, just southeast of Dallas. It's an area that has changed quite a bit over the years. It's been, at one point or another, a thriving community, a biker-gang hangout, a dance-club mecca, an artist's commune. These days, it's not much of anything. Mostly abandoned, the neighborhood has a few condo buildings, some stores, a coffee shop or two, a few good restaurants, a tattoo parlor or 5, etc. But mainly it's empty. Empty, depressing, and lots of goofy art/grafitti everywhere. So I was surprised that there was a bar here in Allston NAMED "Deep Ellum". No doubt the original owner is from that neck of the woods. Before we arrived, I told my friend, there's sure to be chicken-fried-steak on the menu (I was right). The bar, Deep Ellum, is really nice. It's not overly-Texas or overly-anything, really. Nothing inside made me think of Deep Ellum. No dilapitated walls or wacky art. It's a nice bar full of young 20-something hipsters. And these patrons are the very definition of hipster: girls wearing mis-matched gloves, having never grown out of the punky-brewster phase, guys with all manner of facial hair, because razors are you know, uncool. So beware before you go that you have to put up with them. Otherwise - it's a nice bar. There's a stuffed deer head above the bar. Or elk. I forget. The ceiling fans have a very steam-punk vibe there (take a look). All that aside - the food was EXCELLENT and the beer selection was EXCELLENT. I DID get the chicken-fried-steak. It was OK - Good enough. I wasn't blown away by the flavor but it was cooked awesome and filling. My friend got the duck hash which was phenomenal. Never seen that on a menu before - nice to see it here. We tried many beers, all unique and interesting. The hipsters that go here don't know how lucky they are to have this place in their neighborhood.

Ander J.

Who knew there was a deck out back?! Great food and service too. I'll definitely be back, and soon. The habanero BBQ wings were just spicy enough, and their beer selection is different; mostly German and Belgium on tap.

Aaron H.

Had the brunch... yeah... still Pissah.

Steph L.

Roof deck. Extensive beer and cocktails menu. Real bartenders. Great food. And all in Allston. This is one of my go-to bars for a chill night in the neighborhood. The food menu, while small, is solid. The cocktail menu changes and is varied and unconventional. The beer list is phenomenal. I've always had a great time. The bartenders are on point. There aren't too many places in Allston/Brighton that aren't college or sports based. Deep Ellum knows exactly who they are. Besides, the roof deck lets me incorporate two of my favorite activities: drinking and sunshine.

ack c.

It took me quite awhile to figure out where exactly this place could be located in Allston, but having figured that bit out, I am glad that I made the effort. Deep Ellum has everything you want in a restaurant: cute space, lovely staff, great drink selection (Killer beer list), and great food! The owners clearly care and it shows! Kudos!

Chelsea C.

Let me just preface this review by saying I really, really, really wish I could say I love Deep Ellum. It's a tiny little hole in the wall place with a great bar, cramped seating, and strange decorations and black and white movies playing on the TV. It's a hipster haven, so I would suggest going on a week night to avoid hearing how ironic everything is from flannel-clad 20 somethings. The beer selection is great, and depending on what server you get they may even explain the differences and try to help you find a good fit. The cocktails are eclectic but typically very good, although usually on the pricey side (~$10 and up). I personally always go with the sangria, regardless of the season. I was in here on a very cold day recently and still got the sangria, that's how much I love it. It's not the best sangria in the world, but it's reliably tasty, so it's my go to drink. All the food I've had here has been delicious, my favorites would be the gorgonzola truffle fries (YUM!!), the wings, the pretzels, and their risotto. I've heard very good things about their seafood as well as their burgers, but since I don't partake in either of those, I can't speak personally on their behalf. But as far as I'm concerned it's hard to go wrong with just about anything on the menu. So if I love it so much, why the 3 stars? The service would be 2 stars, which brings the overall score of this place down. The servers are often too busy to fill your water or bring you your check. One of the latest times I was here I was sitting at the bar and the guy I was on a date with was standing since it was crowded and he had been sitting all day, We had our drinks, our coats were hung up on the hooks under the bar and JUST as our truffle fries came out some waitress came out of nowhere and told us we were going to have to move to the end of the bar by the door for no apparent reason. I informed her that our fries had just gotten there and she said she'd bring them down to us. I gathered all my winter stuff as did my date and made our way to the seats closest to the door. Luckily, there were no hooks at our seats, so I got to wear my coat to keep the chill of the constantly open door. We then sat there for about 5 minutes staring at our fries getting cold while strangers were placing their drinks all around them back at our original seat. Finally the bartender grabbed them and brought them down to us, but by that point I was already pissed. I went back a few nights ago and our service was SO slow, which only adds to the bad taste this wait crew leaves in my mouth. I wish I could say I'll be back with frequency, but I probably won't make it a frequent haunt of mine, despite my love of the food.

Scott E.

Delicious brunch. Well delicious always. But try the duck confit or the country fried steak. You won't be disappointed! Enjoy the beer selection too!

Fahad B.

Here's a short one to save you some time Amazing food Amazing Drinks Knowledgeable and friendly staff You won't regret coming here Done.

Julie L.

In my search for a great, local bar, I came to Deep Ellum with high recommendations and expectations. First of all, I think Deep Ellum would be classified more as a restaurant. You definitely can't sit here with a pint for a few hours with friends on a Friday night. Also, since it's a small place and popular, lines form outside. However, the staff is so friendly and as accommodating as they can be. Last Friday, we finally made it inside and found 1 seat at the bar. There was enough room for my beau to stand comfortably, so we decided just to order food at the bar rather than wait for a table. The waitress went out of her way to get another stool b/c in her words, "it just sucks to have to eat standing up.' It was so nice - she made sure we felt comfortable and there was enough room for us. The beer - it's a very good selection and fairly priced for a restaurant, but priced a smidge high for me. But that may just be how Boston is as I'm finding all bars tend to be about $1 higher than I expect (compared to SF). Had a great beer from new brewery Slumbrew. Their IPA is wonderful. The food - there's a reason you see the gorgonzola truffle fries everywhere. They are delicious and the perfect bar food to enjoy with my tasty beer. I'll definitely be back for dinner and maybe check it out on a weekday when it's hopefully not as crowded.

M R.

Bartenders are awesome and you can't go wrong with the food. Their weekend brunches are the best. Deep Ellum is one of my go-to spots at all times!

Annette A.

I admit, I was never quite sure what the big deal was before coming here, but once I gave it a chance... it found it's way into my heart and is now one of my favorite places to go in Allston. It's a gastropub! I've had a consistently positive experience there, busy or not. The service is always top-notch, as is their food and (of course) their ever-changing selection of beers and brews. They may not have the selection of Sunset down the street, but instead they bring out the very best and rotate it from time-to-time. I prefer that over shuffling through a 300-item beer menu (No offense, Sunny, I still love ya.) If you need a picker-upper, come here on a Sunday morning for brunch. Get yourself one of their fantastic Bloody Mary's, some "Fall River French Toast" and sun yourself out on the deck for a few hours. You really CAN'T have a bad day this way.

Sarah C.

Great hole in the wall bar, great food, GREAT outside seating....tho I laughed my ass off when I read their description of Deep Ellum (a section of Dallas known for their jazz they say) The Deep Ellum that I lived in during my fated stint as a nursing student at Baylor Hospital was the strip for Dallas best known for sketchy tattoo shops, homeless people and drug use - oh yes and bars where you get patted down to enter...but I digress this Deep Ellum is a vast improvement! The girls and I wandered over here from the bight lights of Big City and Blanchards on the recommendation of beer cheese pretzels. And boy were we happy. Sit outside if you can. The insides is small, dim and very very loud. The beer garden outside is light and airy and perfect. We got a big order of the cheese pretzels, beers and burgers. Yum! Everything was finger licking good. Next time I go I'm getting an order of the pretzels for just me! Be prepared for some beer snobs tho. The bartenders def know their stuff but seemed to stick up their noses when we asked questions about the micro-brews, which goes right along with skinny jean hipster vibe. Come early, as it's first come first serve for outside sitting, and come hungry for pretzels!

Zach W.

Here's the thing....you can have an amazing beer list, great drinks, and solid food and still not be a great experience. Started with a delicious ale, Beer of the Gods ~$6.....Then had my favorite beer ever, Stone Pale (SD represent!!!) ~$6....delicious Wurst appetizer (that upset my stomach for about 24 hours) ~$8......and minimal attention by the bartender who seemed more caught up in drinking her beer and talking with coworkers.....total experience...... $24.....NO IT WASN'T f*#&ing priceless!!!! Hate you mastercard!! Beer list - very impressive, wide selection of draft and bottled Cocktail list - very impressive (lots of great classics, homemade ginger beer!) Food - simple and hearty (not a lot of light fare) Customer service - meeehhh......kinda lacking. I've bartended plenty at a craft bar (both slow and crazy busy nights) to know that when it's sorta slow at 3p on a Sunday and someone comes in by themselves and examines the whole menu for 20 minutes plus you should probably engage them in conversation and ask if they have questions rather than avoiding eye contact. When she did acknowledge my presence she was nice but basically just sort of ignored me and seemed to be doing the same to other customers, other than asking if they wanted more drinks when their glass was empty. My expectations of bartenders are that they also have personalities, enjoy interacting iwth people and understand how to engage multiple customers at once.....It's a sales job folks!!! Unfortunately, Deep Ellum disappointed on the Customer Service front but definitely excelled on the menu front. Worth checking out, but be sure to bring a friend. I'll give it one more chance to impress and you should too!

Christian E.

Very dark in there. Bland food. Really good drinks, but pricey. The waiter misinformed my friend who has a gluten allergy and she had a reaction in the restaurant. Been here a bunch of times and have never been really impressed. Good if you like boutique hipster bars, I guess.

Erin C.

A beer pro I know told me that I had to hit up Deep Ellum to experience some great draft beers. It took me some time, but I finally got there last night. Its a small place and quite loud inside. However, they have a cute little patio area that I really enjoyed! It was crowded and the server took forever to bring everything from our beer to our check. However, the drinks were good and the food was decent. The menu has a large selection of beer but they had some great cocktails too. Next time around I'm going to work my way through that part of the menu!

Kate S.

I love Deep Ellum, it's probably the only bar in the Allston Brighton area that I do like. Their beer selection is fantastic and the food is very good as well.

Jeremy P.

If I could give six stars I would. Best bar in Boston, no competition. Quite possibly my favorite bar ever. My girfriend and I love this place; we come here whenever we can. Great menu, great beer list, great drinks, great staff. The only drawback is that it can get damn crowded (for good reason) and that it is rather dimly lit during the evening. Other than that, this place is just too good.

Zulu Q.

Three sexy words caught my eye on this menu: Manhattans 8 Ways. Of course, in my opinion, there is only ONE way to have a Manhattan...with bourbon. According to Deep Ellum, that's the "1950's Manhattan." Surprisingly though, I ordered a sazerac. And they were super cool about me ordering it with bourbon instead of rye. I HATE RYE WHISKEY. And it was made rather well. It is so easy to make those things poorly. I approved. And my fellow whiskey-swilling gal pal (because East Coast gals certainly drink more whiskey than West Coast ones...this is probably the only way I am remotely fitting in around here) got something with scotch in it. I don't remember what it was--but it was good. No it wasn't one of the seven other Manhattans. My only complaints are that the acoustics are a little off and they need to change up the music. Now, to be fair, Bristish post-punk and dark wave stuff is my favorite. But even I can't listen to The Cure non-stop. They did eventually throw in some Morrisey...but I can only take him in doses. Additionally, it's hard to really hear your conversation there. Not sure how much I'll frequent the place though. It's tough to find parking and even I've been sick of guys in their early 20's trying to hump my leg since I was in my early 20's. Though, let's be honest, it's a little flattering to know that I could play the cougar card if I wanted to.

Cara F.

I've been here for brunch and dinner, and while I enjoy Deep Ellum any time, I think I prefer brunch. The food is always delicious, but I've found that the service can be a little spotty in the evening because it is always so crowded, and in such a small space I prefer having a little breathing room. However, on a weekend morning this is a lovely place for a solid brunch. I am devoted to the French toast, the BBQ Breakfast (pulled pork butt piled high on sweet cornbread with an egg over easy), and the biscuits with gravy; I've also really enjoyed the duck confit hash. And no matter the time of day, you simply must try the pretzels with beer cheese. The only complaint about brunch I have is that I'm not mad about the Bloody Marys - a little too horseradishy for me - but there's no accounting for tastes, and folks with a stronger constitution might prefer that. Speaking of booze but not breakfast: They also have a nice selection of specialty drinks on top of their outstanding beer list. They make their own bitters in house, which I find really charming. Also, they will make you a proper flip or gin fizz - a lot of pubs skimp on the egg-white drinks, but not Deep Ellum. Thank you, Deep Ellum.

Elizabeth S.

Go on a weeknight...unless you want to wait a while. They have a solid vegan burger which is a nice accompaniament to the real reason you should go -- the beer (duh). They have a lot of great ones on tap including some you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. The staff is friendly and helpful and quick with great recommendations. Cocktails are good too, but there are other places for that. Now that the weather is finally warming up I can almost see myself on that patio...

Heather F.

So, regardless of what happened the first time I went to Deep Ellum, I've now given it two more tries. Each of the two times was for brunch, which i had no complaints about other than the service. It seems like we waited at the bar counter for someone's attention for far too long. Once we had someone's attention, the rest of the meal went fine. We started off with the Poutine. Probably a bad choice just because it's so filling. Their breakfast burritos are awesome, perfect amount of everything. My boyfriend got the BBQ Breakfast, which he said was good, just a bit too sweet. I still want to give this place another chance for dinner sometime soon, but for now, brunch has definitely made up for the first time I went to Deep Ellum!

Kelly B.

Totally a foodie restaurant, which was very welcome to me (I miss San Francisco). All the brunch dishes I've tried were fantastic. Iced coffee was way too watery though. They need to work on that. We sent ours back for chilled coffee without ice, and the server admitted that its been under par lately, so hopefully they will fix that.

Kathleen H.

A drink called the Blue Moon was tart and an interesting color. A glass of coffee porter was so coffee infused that my ears and parietal sinuses were tasting coffee. It was awesome. I didn't inquire about the caffeine content, but I suppose the alcohol balanced it. I ate deviled eggs with guacamole that were so freakin' good. . they brought out the plate with two sets of flatware for my friend and I. It was politely inquired . . . did I not want to use the flatware?. . . NOMNOM *shoving eggs in my mouth with my hands* "why NOMnoM would I do that . NOMNOM. . no NOMNOM I have no desire to do that. Thx" nom Yeah, I'd like to go back again as soon as possible.

Mister Chub S.

I went to Deep Ellum for brunch one Sunday morning and although the food and service were very good, it was just too busy, cramped and loud for me. I ended up sitting at the bar with a few friends. The bartender was very attentive and served up a mean drink but people were bumping into me the entire time. The place does well, it serves up great food and drink so I know it's not a surprise it's busy but after a night of partying and carrying on, it was a little much. I got the Pork Meatball Banh Mi ($10) and loved it. The flavors were slightly different than that of a traditional banh mi- the meat had some herbs in it that was very untraditional but it was tasty. It also had an aioli on it instead of a mayo spread which changed the flavor profile but again was tasty. It was served on a fresh, soft roll instead of the stale baguette it's usually served on.

Bassem S.

Easy, chill, and somewhat hipster, Monday night out.My favorite part of the place is Turner Classic Movie playing a 1940 classic in the background. Apart from the slightly-aggressive mood lighting and its limited seating, it offers a traditional pub feel with more indie character. It has quite the extensive tap selection and an impressive cocktail list, complete with muddlings and whiskeys. Because I also chowed down on some Mango Habanero wings while I enjoyed my drinks, I was there for a few hours. I noticed quite a few people breezed in and out of the joint, suggesting that Deep Ellum is a regular neighborhood bar for the locals, even on a Monday. All in all, great drinks, unique atmosphere, decent food.

Alexander R.

So I live very nearby to Deep Ellum and when I first discovered it...I was astounded that I had been missing out for so long. A well established beer selection and higher quality than usual pub grub, I would almost describe the place as a gastropub. Since my first time, I have been back a number of times...in fact, I would say im there pretty regularly. If I had rated Deep Ellum after my first go, it would have been a 5-star joint, but unfortunately it has been getting consistently worse with each visit. The service is overwhelmingly unenthusiastic and cold. I don't mean to generalize, but it seems like a bunch of hipster-esque people who have the idea that they're better than everyone else stuck in their heads. It's really unfortunate because the place doesn't need that, its really a cool place. I think a few more straight-forwardly friendly staff could really help to liven the place up and improve the experience. I have also begun to notice that the prices are a little extravagant for certain items. A perfect example is a recent addition to their menu...Pork Meatball Banh Mi. I am really into banh mi and had to try it...but it was $10. I feel like one of the great things about the banh mi is that its pretty cheap, typically in the $3-$4 range...but this was $10, which seemed steep but I was hoping for them to make it worth the cost. It arrived and was very underwhelming, with a measly pile of taro root chips and small sandwich...WAY overpriced. I also think there are a few places where they need to reconsider. For example, their grilled cheese and tomato soup, for $7 (i think), which i think is fair, is a pretty weak pair which is impressive when you consider the fame they have as a duo. The sandwich was served almost cold and the tomato soup tasted like it was heavily diluted with cream, and had little flavor. I think with more attention to detail, this place could really take themselves up several notches, but until then, they'll be unfortunately average, regardless of their potential.

Logan J.

i dont venture to the allston area too often, but if im in the area, i always suggest hitting up deep ellum. at first glance, this place doesnt appear much different than the hundreds of other fratty bars in allston, but this place has a little more to offer in my opinion. they have a really good drink list--beers on tap, mixed drinks, etc. and they have some different options than other local joints. the bar food here though is what really stands out. they definitely focused on the different offerings for their customers, which i can appreciate. one of the most memorable items is the soft pretzels and beer cheese. yes, beer cheese. they have a pretty decent cheese board also. clearly, i love cheese. they have plenty of other interesting items though, and i look forward to returning to try more.

Ashling C.

An awesome bar to hit up when you need a nice dinner, a rare beer, or a strong drink. I really like it here, and would head straight for the Texas tequila drink if you've had a particularly bad day at work. The Gorgonzola truffle fries are a must no matter what, and in the summer, make sure you wait for a spot on the back patio, it is worth it. It is a little dark inside for me, and a walk to the T, but definitely worth trying!

Sarah M.

Deep Ellum is pretty good. It would get four stars if there was anywhere to stand while you're waiting for your table (you will be waiting for a table, no matter which night you go - the place is smaller than your apartment and none too well arranged). The gorgonzola truffle fries are pretty boss. The deviled eggs... eh, the spicy ones were good, the dill/caraway seed ones were not. The beer selection is good trending towards excellent (because sours). The other huge problem with the place - possibly worse than the crowding - is the volume. Yeah, I know there was a Patriots game on, but they didn't need to try quite so hard to burst everyone's eardrums. I was at a two person table with my friends and we couldn't carry on a conversation. And trying to communicate with the waiter was actually just comical. Deep Ellum! You're a hipster gastropub, not a sports bar, so QUIT TRYING.

Steffany F.

Crazy-awesome beer selection and very good food. Granted, by the time I got there I was a little drunk but I'm pretty sure deviled eggs are always delicious. Yeah, they have deviled eggs. I love deviled eggs. I honestly can't remember what else I ordered (aside from BEER) but I do remember thinking that it was yum-tastic. The space is a bit cramped but as long as you don't have a giant group of people with you you'll do fine.

Tom G.

When I go to a bar specializing in hard-to-beer I expect to be surrounded by hipsters. Fortunately (or un) Deep Ellum fit the bill - skinny jeans, plaid shirts (in 90 degree weather no less), and wayfarers everywhere. The food is good, not great. I would say it's similar to the quality at a lot of other gastropubs (think Publick House). Above average but nothing incredible and fairly priced. Gorgonzola fries are decent - just fries covered in a medium-quality gorgonzola and baked. Wings are underwhelming but have a quality habanero sauce. Soft and flabby under the breading. Sausage plate wasn't cooked through the whole way but the flavor was exceptional - garlicky. Pickled beets and wholegrain mustard were nice accompaniments but something else would have been nice on the side for $16.Steak Frites was ok. I've have it better at many pubs (fries were very blah and steak was tough). The beer list is quality. Lots on tap, with plenty of Mass-based breweries. Not overly expensive and a lot of gems (check out the various farmhouse ales on tap!). I would come back if I were in the area; unfortunately it's not exactly close to a good T-line (10 min walk from the Harvard Ave stop on the B-line). I'll probably go to Publick House, American Craft, or Matt Murphy's for my craft beer fix. If I were up by Deep Ellum, I'd probably go to Sunset anyway unless I really wanted pub food that was better than Sunset's crappy nachos.

William D.

I have been here countless times since they opened and have never had a bad experience. As a beer snob I appreciate their perpetually rotating draft selection not to mention the fact that the staff actualy know the beers. If you arrive and are hungry have the big easy it's their version of a classic cubano sandwich and it is amazing. If you are simply in the mood to snack eat the gorgonzola truffle fries you will not regret it. Though I will say that for the best deep vellum experience you need to go mid afternoon and have what I view as the best brunch menu in Boston. Trust me on this.

Katherine W.

Good but not great... I hate when places don't take reservations - it pains me. So we try to scooch into the bar area that is packed and get some brews. They have an excellent variety, I went with sour cherry lambic. It was sour! The food was good - duck confit on a salad - certainly not your average bar food. But it was SO loud, my table of three was practically yelling to hear each other. Our wobbly table did not help matters and the dessert was awful (and when you have MY sweet tooth the dessert plays a big factor into the rating).

California G.

This place is great. A++ beer and cocktail menu and there's nothing like throwing back a few to Ted Nugent! Thanks to Joel the amazing bartender for the great drinks and good music. The staff are attentive and the drinks are fairly priced, not to mention they have an outdoor patio! It's a win win... I'd recommend the Black Angus Burger with the Truffled Gorgonzola cheese... heaven!

Liz K.

LOVE this bar. It's so cozy, the staff is so friendly, their drinks are so good. And mixed drinks are creative. They also have an outdoor patio!

Sameer N.

I get super bummed out when I read people calling this place "Public House Jr." First of all, this place is much different than the Public House. Just because a place has delicious brews and semi-gourmet food doesn't mean it's the Public House (or as I like to call it, the Pubic House) At Deep Ellum you can get a delicious meal and have a casual beer. It's my neighborhood bar and the staff makes you feel right at home. They know most regular customers names and what they like. You can't be knocking stars off because it "reminds you of the Public House". When was the last time you left the Public House with a stranger and went to third base in their car? NEVER. Because no one talks to strangers at the Public House. In summation. The food and drink are delicious and the staff is excellent. This place should be treasured considering the jack shacks that were there before.

Vinny M.

All I can say is, "what a terrible experience." From the very beginning of my night at this den of hipster misery, I knew my night was going to be miserable. I showed up to this hellhole with a roommate. Neither of us had drunk much, but the bouncer immediately targeted my roommate as being "too drunk" and barred his entry. He was not drunk, nor did it remotely appear that such was the case. The idiot at the door continued to police his territory by manually counting (on his fingers, I might add), the number of people in the bar throughout the entire night, instead of using vastly superior technology like, for example, like this amazon.com/GOGO-Counter-… , or this, amazon.com/Buy-Jump-Rope… . With technology like this, how is it possible to find out how many people are in a bar? From there on, my night was remotely pleasant, aside from the slow-coming overpriced drinks, until leaving the bar. The bouncer barred my exit and, when confronted with his own stupidity, decided to resort to ridiculing my jeans and sneakers. I wouldn't recommend that anyone ever attend this dump, unless they decide that they'd like to go out for a miserable evening.

Barney B.

After another great experience here, I needed to check my original review and see if it still applied. Only difference from last time - the bartender who announced her last day approaching wasn't there. No shock. The patio was open and we got to enjoy it and the cool service out there. Food, beer, vibe all consistent. Here, Deep Ellum, the final star

Magenta R.

I haven't been to too many bars in my lifetime, but I will say this: Deep Ellum is the only bar that I've been in thus far that not only has a cheese plate, but also has a charcuterie (which includes rabbit, I'm told). Their beer cheese and deviled eggs (bacon and horseradish, oh my!) are delicious as well. This ain't your average pub food. They also don't serve your average cocktails--the mint julep is delicious (they even serve it in the silver cups!), and I'd definitely recommend it, even if you don't like whiskey. Their beer list isn't Sunset's, but it is pretty decent. And although I've had problems with crowds, I still managed to find a seat at the bar. And the bartenders are oh so nice, and the music they play is superb (last time I went: The Specials, followed by Spoon). I took a point off for priceyness, but I feel that's kind of expected. Despite that, though, I still go here for my julep fix.

Anna B.

This place is going to kill me because I *must* go back until I have tried every one of their drinks. The drinks are fabulous. Food was good too but the drinks are what earned the 5 stars. I can see this place getting ridiculously crowded because it is small - go at an off-hour! Update 4/25/09: It does get crowded Fridays and Saturdays - had to wait in line last weekend! The pretzels and deviled eggs are the best appetizers. I liked the fried chicken but my friends hated it. Have tried more drinks and they are still all awesome. Some of the mixed drinks are a little small. 2/14/10: Hot mulled cider!!! Yum Yum Yum. .

Katie B.

Friday nights, this place is packed. Though there isn't much room not to be crowded. We skipped out on the Friday, but I was back on Sunday before going to a show at Great Scott. The beer selection was expansive and great. I had a pale ale, and my friend had a few different belgian ales. He enjoyed them all. The guy next to me got something that was lit on fire. I think it was some sort of Manhattan, and it caught me by surprise. It looked interesting if I was into flaming things. Wait, I guess I am. I got the buffalo tenders and they were HOT! They were delicious though. I wanted to finish them all, but they were just too hot. The environment was nice. The bartender was knowledgeable, friendly and non-pestering. There were a lot of interesting plates that I wanted to try but I just wasn't too hungry. I am looking forward to trying the cheese plate when I go back.

Danielle G.

Hands down- awesome. After deciding over the summer that I wanted to move to Allston, I moseyed my way over to Deep Ellum (somewhat accidentally) during a visit to the area. I instantly fell in love- tons of beer on tap, an awesome menu that has pretzels with BEER CHEESE (must try on the menu). And it got even better- on this gorgeous late summer day I was seated outside in this little tucked away seating area wedged between the random buildings. I have become a regular at this place- have taken friends here for drinks, brunch, and have even done dinner with my boyfriend. Every experience has been top notch.

Seth V.

deep ellum is the place you want to go if you're in the allston/brighton side of comm ave. great for drinks (AWESOME beer list, cocktails that don't suck, especially their many interpretations of a manhattan) and inexpensive but tasty and inventive food. this is definitely where you want to go if you like your beers to have flavor and their food compliments beer perfectly. perfect place to stop for a drink and app before a show in the area (paradise, brighton rock club, etc.) and then again for a nightcap i'd tell you what to order, but, really you can't go wrong with anything. just depends on your mood.

Caitlyn L.

Ok, there's the fifth star. I made it a point to go again before the patio closes (hey, it's New England, you never know) and I'm so glad I did. The patio was great, I definitely didn't feel like I was in Allston anymore. The bartenders know what they're doing and the service is friendly and quick. I didn't have high expectations when the friend I was with suggested pepperjack fries to split, but they were SO GOOD...we didn't speak for a good five minutes while we devoured them in record time. I wish the patio stayed open longer, but since that's a silly Boston law, I don't hold it against Deep Ellum...on the contrary, we just went inside and drank some more. Good crowd, good atmosphere, great drinks...love this place!

Roni E.

Originally I had held off on writing a review on Deep Ellum because we were in a rush the first time we came here for dinner and I couldn't really blame our server since we were noticing the amount of time it was taking her to get our orders, our drinks, serve us our meal, and get us our bill. Really I don't think it's her fault it was just our consciousness to the time since we were in a time crunch. On that note, I did enjoy my dish (Jamaican Jerk Chicken) the first time around for dinner. However, I was VERY disappointed with my Margarita. It was served in a tiny, tiny martini glass and was probably consumed in 2 sips and mind you cost $9 each. While the Cranberry Lime Rickey just wasn't good at all and at $7, it just wasn't worth it. NOW... I had reserved writing a review until I tried out their breakfast/brunch because I heard all these great things about DE serving some awesome breakfast. Sadly to say, I really wanted to give them more stars, but they were a huge disappointment for me. The menu only had 5 items for breakfast. I'm sorry but if we're going to be raving about breakfast, there better damn well be some omelettes on that menu and sadly there weren't any.... I was also told to try their Mint Julep from a few that regularly patron DE. DAMNNNNNN that is an eye-opener! My goodness, it was so strong, I couldn't even finish it. I do have to say there was some good factors to DE. They have a Cheese Plate for $12 with 3 cheeses (that changes every day or week). Mine came with a Soft French Brie, Blue Cheese, and another cheese I can't remember. The cheeses were accompanied with fresh marmalade, mushrooms & peppers, olives, and sweetened walnuts/pecans? I also can not let this review go without giving props to Paul who not only was very accommodating with my reservations, but the fact that I was running late and delivering a message to the party, to serving us all the way through. Paul certainly deserves a pat on the back. He was extremely attentive and provided us excellent service. Now, while I may not return for breakfast, I may come back to the Ellum for some drinks and may dine some evenings. Hopefully, we'll get Paul to serve us again. TWO THUMBS UP for the service!

Lady Fang Y.

I try not to venture to the other side of the river, but if I HAVE to go to Allston, Deep Ellum it is! It is rarely filled with Allston college kid clones. Yes, I'm judgemental, I'm not a fan of the Allston college kids. Too many uncombed heads of hair, indie rocker t-shirts, too many american spirit cigarette butts, too many way loud over pretentious yelling and for the love of jesus, god awful tight black jeans on both genders. BTW, Hello Charlies???? To each their own, I'll slam them on the internet like any spineless jelly fish would, thank you very much. Ahem..moving on...they're not here at Deep Ellum. Nothing beats a good night with the window wide open, soft hot pretzel and beer cheese and a delish white belgian. They've got a great beer selection and such an eclectic app and dinner selection. And i recently just had Absynthe here, and I must say it tastes like caca, but I will probably do it again. Great...now I wanna eat pretzels and hallucinate while I beat up some hipsters. sheeeeeeeeesh.

Andrew J.

Such a cool bar hidden in the neighborhood. With an outdoor deck/patio area, it provides different levels of experience during your stay. Not only are the drinks well-prepared, but the food is great, especially the Brunch menu. I take out-of-town visitors here regularly to see a fun side of Boston.

Ina C.

If I'm Prince Charming, the beer I had last night at Deep Ellum is my Cinderella. A vague recollection of the name of the beer (sounds like panna cotta) is the glass slipper that I'm holding onto for dear life! I asked our friendly server, who I'll call my Fairy Godmother, for a recommendation based on other beers I like - something cool and rare, I requested - and he went to the back and magically reappeared with a bottle of this tasty elixir that was wonderfully complex, robust and a bit spicy. Just what I wanted! A few of my old college buddies and I were meeting up while I'm in town, and we wanted to sit on the patio. Our server told us that if we arrive 40 minutes earlier (like before 7pm) on a weekday, then we'd be guaranteed a spot out there. But we settled for a table inside, and we were perfectly happy. Service: Our server was fantastic!! Super super friendly, helpful, patient and attentive. Our food took quite a while (maybe because there was only one guy in the tiny tiny kitchen?), but our server updated us and apologized sincerely for the wait. And we forgave. :) Atmosphere: The DC yelpers have been arguing back and forth about "real" bars, and the argument has yet to be settled. But if there were a place like Deep Ellum down here, the argument would be over. Great selection of beers, above-average bar food, cool and friendly people - I dare not use the word "hipsters." Could Deep Ellum replace our usual hangout spot at Sunset? Possibly. It does feel a bit more grown-up and less touristy. :) But I'll confidently say that this is probably one of my favorite bars in the Boston area.

Brandon K.

This place really is for the hipsters and cool kids. First off when the greeting from the bartender when she finally decides to give you attention is "whats up dudes" that is about as unprofessional as you get. The beer list is one of the better ones in Boston. On the flip side of that it is overpriced, and always short poured. If your paying 10+ dollars per beer, you would expect it to be filled to the top and not have 1-2 inches of foam. As for the food, its usually quite good. The best thing there is the gorgonzola fries I would highly suggest them if you ever decide to visit this over priced bar.

Katelyn F.

Love, love, love it! I quickly fell in love with this place days after moving to the area and have never been disappointed. Deep Ellum has so much to offer I don't even know where to begin. Beer list -- amazing and always changing. Food -- awesome (especially the champagne couscous dish and the truffle fries, yum). Definitely one of those places I love to introduce new people to and always my first choice for libations, apps, dinner or all three!

Mia S.

Moscow Mule with a side of gorgonzola fries is my go-to order. The drinks are on the expensive side (for a college kid like me, beer and cocktails hang around the $10 mark, so it's actually not expensive for normal people), but the food is reasonably priced. It's got a nice ambiance, the staff is down to earth and friendly (rare for Allston), and they've got good booze. It's my favorite place in the area.

Cassandra M.

All of my party commented on the inviting environment, much less grimy and less filled with the typical, insecure hipsters than Ellum's former days of Reel Bar: With the girls who would stare ruthlessly at any girl that had any association with the guy they were sleeping with that month. The guys that would consider any girl with chucks and tight pants and was "cute enough" as someone worthy to cheat on their girl with. Those were the days... These days, as a "working professional" upon hearing that it was not as frustratingly pathetic as before, I returned and was pleasantly surprised. We got desserts first, one apple crisp, a la mode, of course, and a blueberry mousse. Our extremely friendly waiter informed us that he had picked the apples himself with one of his co-workers. I'm not big on cooked apples, but my comrades told me that the crisp was delish. However, the blueberry mousse was so yummy, first had. It was like a light ice-cream, with scrumptious blueberries, one of my favorite fruits. We felt warm from walking, so my party and I decided to sit out on the patio, which was nicely lit, with modern woodworking and trees hanging over our heads. The moon was bright and almost full. Our waiter, I can't remember his name, was super nice. (had a beard) He explained everything to us with patience that I would most definitely be be lacking if I were in his position. (I'm not known for having that virtue) When my drink came, I thought it tasted weak, and I had the GALL to ask for another, with more vodka. I know it sounds pathetic. I apologized and told him that I was sorry for being annoying, I just didn't want to pay a lot for a watered down drink and I know it's no one's fault.. blah ... blah...) He was so nice and not irritated at all. He brought the drink back and watched the bartender give me extra booze. So nice. Then I found out that it was me who couldn't taste the alcohol and not the lack OF booze. SORRY! The only downer of the night is when w e got too cold and wanted to go in, our fabulous waiter had saved us a table inside and some townies, burly "men," (although I think they might've been younger than me) harassed my female friend and I when I explained to them that the table was reserved for us. "what, do you have some gentlemen with you or somethin'?" Yes dope-face, we do.

Cha Cha W.

Be still my heart! Literally. The gorgonzola truffle fries did a fabulous job of adding a nice coating of plague to my aortic wall. My doctor will surely be pleased. And the calorie/$? Exceptional. That back patio is a great place to hang out for a long mellow brunch. Not to mention the breeze coming through the slats, perfect to dry off from clandestine activities in the middle of intersections on sunny Saturday afternoons with squirt guns ;) Why do I ever bother promising myself not to over eat tasty things? Next time, no more self guilt, I'm just gonna enjoy gorging my breakfast burrito with a side of gorgonzola truffle fries under the shade outside.

Dave U.

I've heard the food here is really good, especially the breakfast/brunch, but this review is for the drinks. If you want a cocktail done right, this is the place to go. I love their Manhattans and old fashioneds, take a journey to another era in American booze history. And the knowledgable staff really seems to take pride in preparing these drinks. It's pretty tight and can be tough to get a seat depending on the time, but worth it for the unique experience.

lesley s.

This is a cool place, and a favorite spot for my friends living in the neighborhood, but I wasn't that impressed. Happy to see pumpkin ale and hard cider on the menu on a cold fall day, but overall not that pleased with the service. There seemed to only be 1 waitress, but she ignored us on several occasions, even when we were blatantly trying to get her attention. It could have been that we didn't look like we belonged (as opposed to the other, more hipster customers), or maybe it was because her other tables were ordering more food/drinks, but it frustrated me enough to merit giving Deep Ellum just 2 stars. We didn't order food, which I regret because the brunch menu looked awesome, so I would go back to try the poached eggs florentine and/or the breakfast burrito.

Connie L.

We came here for their burgers. Simple, tasty, delicious bun and nicely grilled hand-formed patties. A little pricier than Sunset, but much better. The rest of the menu also looked interesting. Will be back to try their Wurst plate. Docking a star for slow service and incredibly loud volume.

R G.

This is my kind of bar. The cocktails are creative (slightly pricey, but worth it), the beer selection is great, the food is surprisingly delicious, and the music isn't obnoxious! I've had the amazing violet flavored 'Blue Moon' cocktail (and how nice is it that the cocktails are listed from least to most expensive-- cheap bastards after my own heart!), and every beer I've had there has been great. I've had a great burger there (a bit on the rare side, but much preferable to overcooked and bland). It was meaty and filling and a few steps above what most bars serve. My boyfried got the best wurst plate, I believe. He liked it, but was a bit disappointed by its rather petite size. Regardless, it's great to find a place where you can get a late meal and stay and drink the good stuff for a while. But really, the best part about it is the ambience. It has a nice 'boutique bar' vibe and just feels classier without being at all full of itself. Maybe I'm just a sucker for exposed brick walls. Also, the clientele is slightly older than most of the bars along Harvard Ave, (a mix of grads, young professionals, some young couples), which is a lovely change from cheap-beer-drinking-scantily-clad-horny-dancers that populate many other bars. Deep Ellum is pretty small, which can get annoying as you're bumped about, but if you carve out your spot early, you're set (though large groups, please stay away: you annoy me).

Alyssa H.

I *heart* Deep Ellum. Knowing it can be busy on a Friday night I emailed DE and asked if they might set aside a large table for my 33rd birthday. They don't take reservations but were sweet enough to say yes! They have a great selection of beer and cocktails, although despite that we ended up with a bottle of wine which was equally terrific. The food is delicious - I almost always get the vegan burger (I'm not a vegan - but can't pass it up!) and it is the best around. Great patio and very helpful staff...I finally had that pretzel and it is hot, soft and fantastic!

Calli C.

I popped in kind of early on a weekday and had a drink at the bar while waiting for my boyfriend to arrive. I asked the bartender to recommend a drink for me, and since I like gin she mixed up a Tommy Noble - gin, Pimms, bitters and something else? Can't remember that but I do remember it was delicious, and just what I was looking for. When he showed up we grabbed a table for two and started eyeballing the menu. This is where Deep Ellum, the love of my life, loses a star. The service is incomprehensibly disorganized. As the dinner rush started there was only one young woman serving the entire place, and she struggled to remember what table had ordered what dish. Even when I had been sitting at the bar and there were only two tables of two full, I could tell that they were testy about how slow the service was, and even came up to the bar to request their tab and to-go boxes. While we were eating dinner, it was really tricky to grab her to order our food, get new drinks, get the check. Eventually we started to grab just whoever walked by - a bartender, a busboy, the other server - to ask for what we needed. That resulted in some poor communication, so we got two checks at the table by accident - one unsolicited, so she just assumed we were done. It's so disappointing, as the drinks, the beer list, the food, the ambiance is so awesome. The pretzels are to die for! For dinner I had the mac n cheese with duck confit and butternut squash, and he had the coq au vin. His dish was pretty awesome, while I was a little underwhelmed by the mac n cheese. Not really cheesy enough, and the duck didn't taste seasoned. Still, I wish there wasn't such a disconnect on the service.

Katie W.

Deep Ellum was surprising, in a good way. We had the cheese plate (two yummy cheeses, olives, walnuts and bread), gorgonzola fries (um, with truffle oil!), crab salad (a bit small for a main, but good fresh crab), big pretzel (eh) and burger (yum, with more cheese and fries, hooray!) around the table. The fries were incredible and the rest was pretty darn good too. The drinks were even better. They have a huge beer list with tons of tap and bottle options and an enormous, creative cocktail list that has the potential to mess you up in an excellent way. The absolute best thing, however, was the service. Our waitress was amazing. She even sat down at our table and answered about 10 minutes of questions about the drink options. She helped each of us find the perfect drink (and the perfect second and third drinks, too!). Welcome to the neighborhood, Deep Ellum. I'll see you again soon, I'm sure.

Richard P.

I've been here more than a few times and it's always been great. The food is exceptional and the drink selection is tops. The place is kind of small, and it can be rather crowded on busy nights; seating is limited too, but no worries. It's totally worth the wait. It is a rather dimly lit, but it adds to the atmosphere. In the summer, the patio out back makes for good times.

Allison B.

WUT deep ellum now has a roof deck?! apparently it just opened on friday, and it is a tree canopied, PBR umbrellaed, cherry wood delight! what a perfect addition to an already fantastic place. i was already flying high when i realized they sell unibroue ephemere, my favorite favorite favorite beer. pair that with the seitan burger (just as good as the first time i tried it), and your belly with thank you. in closing, dear deep ellum, i'm sorry for all those things i said about "publick house jr." you truly are a go-to spot of your own accord and majesty :)

Orly M.

Ok, there have been so many reviews that I am adding absolutely nothing, but i'll do it anyway. I don't venture into Allston very often but from now on I am going here every time I do! This is just my kind of divey, unpretentious bar. The menu looked interesting, but I had already eaten at Sjhsdjfsdjkf Kiri down the street. I actually went to Deep Ellum on a mission -- John R swore up and down that a mint julep is a life changing experience. I'd never had one, so this was my first, and I think it did change my life. From now on, on every hot day I will crave a mint julep. In retrospect mayve it's good I don't live too close to Deep Ellum because if I had bourbon every day it probably wouldn't do good things to my life. ETA: Trish's review reminded me of the guy digging for gold! Any bar with a resident nose picker is my kind of bar.

Jillian Y.

Harumph. I cannot believe I've waited this long to hit Deep Ellum...everyone talks it up, but it's on the wrong end of my usual chain of bars, so I've never made it...until now. First off, their patio is AWESOME. It was chilly last night, so the patio was completely empty, but I have a fear that in the summer, that isn't the case. Regardless, I loved it, and the beer selection was fantastic! My only complaints? The indoor area is a bit crowded (put it this way - a fat kid couldn't squeeze between the bars and the table), and the two plates I tasted were heavily oversalted, blech.

Christopher S.

Great place. My sister used to work there (she's now at Green Street). Another great place to try tons of great domestic and imported beers. The newer outdoor seating area is awesome during the summer / early fall. The food is awesome. My favorite would have to be The Best Wurst Plate.

Christina L.

Deep Ellum is the best bar in Allston/Brighton. I'm there with friends at least once a week, and we've been going since it opened. There are always new beers on tap, the cocktails are fun and innovative, and the food is delicious. In the summer they open the deck which is great if you like eating/drinking outdoors (who doesn't?) I would love for to Deep Ellum to remain unknown so we can have it to ourselves...but that would be selfish!

Christina R.

Super chill service, nice people but not good at all for a late night. Got dissed for trying to finish my drink at 1:00am. Not ideal for late night on a Friday at all. Rude.

Diana L.

Three words: Bloody. Effing. Mary. Holy crap, their Bloody Marys are spectacular. The perfect hair-of-the-dog (or not) accompaniment to an unbelievable breakfast burrito. Let it be known that I could put horseradish on just about anything, but there's more to this Mary than heat. Have you ever had a pickled green bean in a Blood Mary? I have. It's freaking fantastic. So, brunch is awesome, but I really like this place at night, too. They have a great beer list, and the scene is hip without being too sceney (a common problem in this area). I don't come here enough.

Daniel G.

I have never had a disappointing dish at deep ellum, there food is wonderful, and inexpensive too! they have very nice cocktails as well, although they tend to be on the more pricy side (9-11$, I guess it's not that bad) The atmosphere is nice and the staff is very nice.

Deborah B.

This is one of my favorite bars. For any time of the day. I'm usually there for lunch during the week, when it's nice and quiet, or brunch on the weekend, for my breakfast chimichanga fix. Love them. The combination of scrambled eggs, cheese, homefries, and some really good sausage. I'm not even a sausage kind of girl, but I can't get enough of it. I'm never disappointed by their beer, and I rarely venture to their cocktail list. But I do love me some gin, and I'm a fan of each of the gin cocktails I've tried there. I've read some reviews on less-than-stellar experiences with the bartenders and servers, but they've always been friendly and helpful, maybe because I'm rarely there on busy nights. There are stretches of time where I frequent this place on a weekly basis, and it's definitely one of my default bars that keeps me coming back again and again.

Stephen G.

What is this, a converted mini-mart or some shit? Hey, I'm not asking for a place the size of a fucking JAI ALAI court, but, shit, you could barely get off a game of FOUR-SQUARE in here after hours. I'm certainly not taking the whole crew here for a few, it would be like a clown car. But it's alright for an after-hours one-on-one tipple. And what happened to the OLD name? "Movie bar" or some shit? It had a film reel in it. "Deep Ellum" sounds like a goddamn crayola color or something.

Todd W.

This is the kind of place that I can get addicted to. Ordering a Hercules IPA and the Pretzels w/ Beer Cheese? My God! This place is fantastic! Good date place, reasonable prices, and well worth it. Enjoy!

Lauren M.

My favorite spot in Allston - hands down. This is a great place for drinks and/or dinner. The cocktail menu is great - I definitely recommend the Hemingway. When its warm the patio is a really chill place to hang out and grab a few drinks with some friends and during the winter the ambience warms you up (especially with an order of the highly recommended vegan casserole). LOVE IT

Kayla M.

Zero stars for this horribly cramped restaurant with the rudest wait staff I have ever encountered. Our waiter was awkward and made fun of our drink orders, brought us the wrong food, brought us the wrong check, and was not attentive nor friendly. There was no ice in our drinks and the english muffin that finally brought after the rest of my meal was untoasted and dry. We were not welcomed nor thanked for our business. The whole atmosphere sucked and the staff had terrible attitudes.

Linda R.

Maybe I indulged too much in their creative cocktails and good beer list beforehand...but their chicken wings were bomb. The poutine was a hit at the table as well. I got one of their chicken entrees which was surprisingly really good. Service was a little slow...but for a Friday night it was OK. Enjoy your drinks while you wait! This place attracts a fun and hip crowd too. And their patio is so nice in the summertime.

Grace S.

I really love this place! A lot of my friends had told me to go there for lunch or dinner, but I actually ended up coming here for brunch one day and it was absoltely fantastic. I ordered the red flannel hash as my main enteee and ordered a cheese plate as a starter. The dishes were really flavorful and everything was worth the price. The service was great too, the space was smaller than I expected but it was still a great experience. But for the quality of the food and the taste, I am definitely coming back.

Anarie S.

I came here on a saturday for brunch around 11am. The wait was about 10 minutes for a table of 6. There's not a big selection on brunch. I ordered the breakfast burrito. I was a bit disappointed with it. It had much more potatoes than chorizo than I thought :( They do have a extended list of beer, wine as cocktails. If I were to come back, it would be for their drink menu.

Minju K.

Whenever I take a bus, I always saw this place with a huge line regardless of the time. The store seemed always crowded in brunch or dinner time it made me want to try this place so badly! I went here for the first time around 8pm for dinner and drinks when my friend was in town. The drink menu was two pages long whereas the food menu looked like a special plates menu that's usually smaller and thinner. This def got my instant likes because I love drinks haha we got the mussles fries, two way chicken, and farzo to share with 4 ppl and it was enough to fill our stomachs. The food was rlry rlry creative and yummy! The drinks were also great. They had all kinds of draft beer not only from the states but also other regions like belgium. My friend got a sangria and it was good. My favorite part of this place was the outstanding service. One of my friend got a gin cocktail and it was rlry rlry strong that we asked if they can do something about it. At least we expected them to add a sweeter juice to make it taste better but they apologized and took the drink out of our bill. They were willing make us another drink that my friend might like better. This def got me wanting to come back again whenever I have visitors!

MaiLinh H.

Vibe is good - most young hip people but a little more upscale than the typical allston bar - which is always a good thing. Ordered buffalo chicken wings which are easily the top 5 best wings I've had. The skim is crunchy but the meat is still tender, chewy and soft. Drinks are tasty too - I got a ward 8 (a whiskey based drink) per the waiter recommendation and loved it. Would definitely come back to this place the next time I am in town. Definitely try to get a table at the patio if you can, deco is nice and air is fresh

Julez B.

I am a fan of Deep Ellum. It's a small, narrow building that surprisingly opens up to a nice patio in the back for outdoor drinking and dining. The servers have always been friendly, knowledgeable and helpful in their suggestions. It has a definite hipster, tattooed young person kind of vibe (which I enjoy). The drink menu absolutely dwarfs the food menu. While I do really enjoy the food I've had there (gorgonzola fries, chick pea burger and cheese plate) there aren't that many options for vegetarians here. There is always something veggie-friendly on the menu and they are willing to sub out tofu for meat in breakfast burritos which is really nice. What really shines at this place is their fabulous drink menu. I am not exaggerating when I say they have the best bloody mary I have ever had. They are just spicy enough, with a surprisingly rich flavor and instead of the traditional stalk of celery, they have a dilly bean (a pickled green bean) as a garnish. Om nom nom. Just writing about it makes me want to go there. The reason I'm not giving it five stars is that because of their small menu they can't accommodate many veggie options so you basically have only two or three things to choose from. And since it's usually busy (because they're great) it gets soooooo loud inside it's almost impossible to have a normal conversation. Overall, it's a fantastic place and I would definitely recommend checking out their brunch menu. Get a bloody mary here!

Keith S.

Review for drinks only. Ok, and fries. We stopped by for a few drinks before heading next door for food. We ended up grabbing the gorgonzola truffle fries, they came out fast and were a great snack with our drinks. Our bartender was friendly and made some great cocktails. Didn't get into beer but they looked to have a nice selection. It's a great space, good music and a good vibe.

Rebekah C.

My original rating of 4 stars has been downgraded. I can no longer eat at this place due to the lack of cleanliness. I realize they are in rat central, but the dirty doesn't work for a grungy Allston feel for me - it just makes me wonder how they pass inspection. I have eaten at Deep Ellum on 4 different occasion in the last few years and the food was always good. From the burgers to brunch there is always something delicious with a little spin. They have a cute patio on the back that is great in the summer.

Brian D.

I don't come here nearly enough. I'm reminded of that every time that I get up the stones to travel all the way to The City of All. Finding bar space can be challenging. Deal with it. Waiting a whole 5 minutes for a seat on the deck can be challenging. Get a beer, wait, deal with it. Ordering a plate of house made duck sausage and pate is not so tough to deal with. Nor is scanning the beer menu. Swoon. I can't. I mean. Crap. Just give me a cocktail. Same problem. House made bitters too? Give me five minutes alone in the bathroom with a menu, please.

Elizabeth W.

Went here once not too long ago. LOVED IT. Very cozy, very delicious, great service. I had breakfast here. The best scrambled eggs, rye bread and all! Good, tall glass of OJ to wash it all down. Enjoyed so much!! Check this spot out please!

Matt P.

Deep Ellum is kind of the coolest bar in Allston, but I fear some selling out action around the corner. Vegan options are totally dwindling to a mere vegan burger, which just isn't all that great (oh, don't you remember that pot pie that used to sit before me, deep and steaming?). Beer selection is great -- not really big or anything, but selective. And, you'll get good tips from the waitstaff. The pretzels with mustard are insanely good. Almost gross, but just on this side of gross, so it's delicious. The draw for me with this place, though, initially, was how chill and vaguely classy it was, in a relaxed, not out to impress kind of way. The people hanging out either seemed to know the bartenders or kept to quiet duos and trios of friends. But it's like, at this point, it's packed almost all the time and the music keeps getting louder and louder. I feel like we are at some kind of conjunction, Deep Ellum. What's your next move?

Emily G.

This is definitly a gem in Allston. There aren't many gems around in terms of bars. Most are just filled with yelling college students (which isn't necessarily a bad thing but...) I went on Friday afternoon when I was in search of a patio in Allston. I've been living in Allston almost a year - I don't know why I haven't been there before. It was early evening and I easily found a table out on the patio - I know most other places in the city this would have been very difficult. I ordered a cranberry lime ricky and within half hour I was forgetting all about my work week and relaxing my way into the weekend. I did not order any food - although I'm sure I will be back to try it out. It looked pretty good and fancy judging by what the others were ordering. The drinks were STRONG!! There's nothing wrong with that. I will definitly be back. I think the only reason I don't give this 5 stars is the awkward location and the inside of the bar isn't really spectacular.

Chris M.

Pretty solid drink menu, and lots of great beers. They make a great burger, as well as some great appetizers. It's quite dim and a little packed, but finding a waiter never seems to be a problem. Definitely one of the better bars in allston/brighton.

michelle m.

Okay so the food sometimes takes too long, the drinks can be a little weird... but the vibe is just so chilllaxin... Its simple yes... but isnt that all you need sometimes.. a little simplicity in your life... Sh*t! I do! PS. The best wurst plate is pretty yummy. :)

Ryan L.

This is the greatest hipster place I've experienced. I visited this place a few times when I was up in Boston and was floored every time. The drinks are unique and creative without being overly expensive and the fries with cheese are full of artery cloggin' fun!

Ryan C.

I am very much willing to accept the idea that Deep Ellum's astonishing beer selection and skilled bartenders make it a worthwhile venue. I am not, however, willing to accept that a gastro-pub is any kind of pub at all if they can't serve a decent burger. A good burger is not any kind of culinary feat, especially for a bar with such haute-aspirations as to serve the likes of charcuterie plates. We went to Ellum for dinner and were served a dry, bland ground meat patty presuming itself as a burger, and it might have passed successfully were it not for the slightly off-flavor. Deep Ellum has thus far failed to offer me anything I could not reproduce at home myself with a trip to the grocery/liquor store and a trivial amount of effort. Except, of course, an exquisite wooden bar longer than my living room. The classiness of the bar and thus potential for providing a unique atmosphere as a place to socialize, however, is capsized by large plasma TVs, for which I have no use at all.

Eric S.

I love this place more every time I visit, and not just because I tend to leave with a blissful craft-beer buzz. Everyone knows that Deep Ellum offers an excellent selection of craft beers and lovingly made cocktails, but don't overlook the food. They make their own sausage! (OK, wait, don't leave...it's better than it sounds.) If you haven't tried their monthly special, the "Best Wurst Plate," you're missing out. Now also available as an appetizer, it features a sausage paired with a dish that complements the sausage. I'm *not* a huge sausage fan, but I've never had a wurst plate that hasn't simply kicked ass. Try it, and become a believer. Also highly recommended: the pretzel appetizer---paired with a perfect whole-grain mustard, it kicks ass. My only complaint: they never turn off the TVs (Do we really need to have VH-1 or a bad 80s movie playing mute in the background when there's nothing else on TV?) and the music can sometimes be inappropriately loud (Hey, Metallica is great...but sunday brunch is hangover time, right?). Otherwise, this place is solid.

Matt C.

If an old guy offers to buy you a beer here and introduces you to Max, the owner, take him up on the offer. He's cool and probably just had a few too many glasses of cab. This place is really excellent. It is gradually replacing the Publick House in terms of my go-to for new craft beer. The service is much, much better and the staff is just as knowledgeable about beer as they are about mixology - hence the serious cocktail list. I recommend the Moscow Mule and the Vanilla Flip. Sure, you might have to have one or two Moscows before you are willing to try a cocktail with raw egg, but I assure you there will be no disappointment. The Absinthe Cocktail is worth it for the show alone. I came here alone one night and it was a really great time - the bar staff are talkative and really cool, and they had the new Portishead album on heavy rotation.

Renee H.

The fries and the cheese plate are tasty, although I usually just come here for drinks, so I can't say much on most of the menu. My roommate had chili once when we went here, and said it was pretty good. The Vanilla Flip is a must if you love dessert-type cocktails. It's like drinking a creme brulée. The Ramos Gin Fiz is also sweet and tasty. Most of the cocktails here are wonderful, actually. The staff is generally super-friendly. When it gets busy, it can be a little loud and cramped to really have a nice chat over drinks, but, if you're lucky, there will be some space on the super nice patio out back (which does have some heaters that make it doable if it's chilly but not too cold out). I usually catch VH1 Pop Up Video on the TVs over the bar (on mute). The music's usually pretty decent. If it were a little cheaper, I'd give it another star.

Julianna G.

Awesome food and drinks! Went there with out knowing about the menu and was sad I never knew to go before!

Susie A.

This place was so much better than I thought it was going to be. I don't hang out in this area very much, but was meeting up with a bunch of people who suggested Deep Ellum, so I joined. From the outside, it looked like the ultimate dive bar (and a little bit biker-ish) but it was actually kind of cute inside. Tiny. But pretty packed for around 7:00 on a Friday night. The main reason Deep Ellum gets 4 stars is because they have my favorite beer in the world- Krusovice Cerne. I was SO excited. But their cocktail menu is also huuge and includes drinks like a mint julep (which was amazingly strong) and a black water (with Moxie; my dad would be in heaven). They also have absinthe! We had a couple appetizers and the truffled gorgonzola french fries were quite delicious. It seems as though their food is a couple steps ahead typical bar food. I didn't go outside but I heard there's a pretty nice deck outside. I wish they would decorate a little more- they have a huge brick wall with nothing on it!

Ted B.

I go here at least 2 times a week. Recipe for awesomefest at Deep Ellum: 1 part show up early 2 parts cheese plate and pretzels 1 part any entire is a win. add beer and cocktails to taste. Secret: If you go at lunch the food is a bit cheaper and you can have the place mostly to your self. Also beer garden opens April 1st.

Sarah R.

I'm bumping this place up to 5 stars because of two words: BEER. CHEESE. Order the soft pretzel with the beer cheese. It's artery-clogging heaven, I assure you.

Greg L.

In my opinion, this is the best "beer" bar in Boston. Don't even waste your time with Sunset Grill down the street. They never have the selection they advertise and the atmosphere is awful. Deep Ellum, on the other hand, is in a league of its own. The beer selection is unbelievable. They seem to have the best bottle or draft for every style of beer. I recently had a La Chouffe "Houblin", which is a Belgium brewed with American hops. Probably the best beer I have had. It tasted like a Hazed and Confused (for those of you that don't know beer, Hazed and Confused is probably the best American IPA) in the Belgian style, so unique. Every time I go, they always impress me with a great beer menu. The food is OK. I have been to Deep Ellum many times and I have not been impressed with the menu. Truffle/Gorgonzola fries are exceptional but that's about it. Everything else is marginal, but that's ok with me the beer takes center stage at this place. I have also had the duck salad, hamburger, and sausage plate, all of which were ok. Atmosphere is great. The wait-staff are incredibly nice and knowledgeable while the music is good and the outside deck is spacious. Overall a great place, I frequent Deep Ellum a lot and I am always satisfied. I am so glad this place is in Boston, truly a great escape from all the "meat-heads" that swarm the city.

Haley T.

Nice bar. Good beer selection. Even a back porch, which is awesome when the weather allows. This place is a bit small and almost always packed. Their seitan burger was very good, though everything is a bit too expensive for me to come here on more than a semi-regular basis. Good music and pleasant atmosphere, however.

talia s.

I have searched far and wide for a really good french onion soup. Who knew it was in Allston? There was a flavor that I don't know what it was, but I wanted to lick the bowl dry. The cheese was perfect flavor and melt. And the calamari...wow. Fresh, inspired, and the dipping sauce! What is in it? Crack? I love when a restaurant can deliver flavors that are new, interesting, and just plain delicious. When we got there the tiny bar/restaurant was packed. It was a bit awkward standing in the way until a seat opened up, but somehow the bartender/host/waiter (?) took our name and remembered to get us a table not too long after we got there. Great service. Atmosphere was comfortable, dark, hip, and fun. Worth the trip on the old 66.

Andrew K.

Great cocktails! I had their old fashioned, and then a drink with vanilla vodka, egg, and sugar. I was scared to drink it, but it was amazing! The food was decent too. I had the wurst plate, two house made bratwursts with fingerling potatoes and sauteed red cabbage. Everything was rather tasty, and sitting outside on their deck was a perfect Saturday afternoon.

L S.

The Good: Cocktails! Beer Outdoor seating The Bad: Food (did I see them serving a vegan burger on a brioche bun?) The women's toilet doesn't flush well, ever.

Mike S.

I have been here at night and the atmosphere is awesome, the place is small but fun and I like the fact that they only have about two TVs so you can watch the Sox game but still have a conversation. However, I just ate lunch there and it took about an hour and a half before the food was on the table. None of us ordered drinks, and we were all pretty well dressed, hence, "Hurry up with my food, I have to get back to work." I was really hungry (and this might sound weird) but I got the Fall River, which was described on the menu as Portuguese Sweet Bread French Toast for an appetizer. What I got was undercooked white bread that looked like a diner roll cut in half, and it was disgusting. I grew up on Portuguese Sweet Bread, since both of my parents are from New Bedford (right next to Fall River), and this was NOT IT. Then our Burgers finally got to the table and they were ok. Fresh ground beef that didn't seem to come from the freezer, and was slightly seasoned. The bun was the downfall to what could have been a good lunch - it was huge. I thought I had turned into that old lady in the Wendy's commercial - "Where's the beef?". To top it off, it was an even greater challenge to enjoy my meal with one of the mangers/owners belching loudly over at the next table. I was tempted to remind him that we were actual customers and not a group of his drinking buddies, but by that point, I was ready to leave anyway. If you want to go out for drinks this is a great place, but if you are looking for a new lunch spot in Allston, don't bother.

Ben A.

I wish I could give this place 4 and a half stars because really that's what it deserves. As a bar it has to be one of the best ones I've ever been to. Let me explain; they always have a massive list of good and exotic beers on tap so that almost anyone could be satisfied (and their bottle list is quite large as well!), so if you're a beer connoisseur, this is the bar for you. The food is pretty fantastic considering that it's a bar, especially their fries which are delicious. And the waiters and waitresses are young and friendly. My friends have been coming here since shortly after they opened and have become friends with one of the owners so we are always treated well. Now that being said there are a few things I would change if I had my druthers. The location is good but the interior is a little smaller then one would wish for in a bar and it can get packed at times (although the recently opened beer garden/outdoor patio eating area out back now helps that a little bit). The walls are very barren save for one very nice painting on the far wall. I tried suggesting to the owner that he put up some art on the walls and he scoffed at the idea. The entire right wall is just plain brick wheras the left wall is covered with the bar area so putting art there would be unfeasible. Also, the crowd that frequents the bar is usually mid to late twenties, professional and preppy hipster types. Very preppy. At any given time there will be at least four guys with thick rim glasses and cardigan sweaters (you know, those type of preps). I don't really mind that so much but people usually come here with a group and sit with their group, it's not a place to go to meet people. There's always pretty good music playing and they usually have whatever the current big sporting event is on the tv's (sox game, celts, etc.) or some old music videos (the music playing in the bar doesn't match it). All in all it's a great bar with pretty much the best beer selection I've ever seen and great cocktails to boot. They are very professional about drink presentation as well. Also they serve absinthe the proper way (poured over a sugar cube and then light on fire). I hear they serve lunch/brunch too and I would be willing to bet it's quite good based on how good everything else is. So all in all, very nice bar, great drink and beer selection, great food, ok crowd. I would definitely recommend checking it out with a group of friends or even a date though.

Ellen L.

i knooooow that everyone here loves the food, but I have to be honest... i was NOT impressed. the beer selection is fantastic. not a wide array of beers, but a quality selection. oh, but i did like the pretzel. it comes with this gritty tasty mustard that was fantastic.

Alan P.

I've liked the place before, but last night was a poor experience. While walking there we saw tons of rats in the neighborhood (probably not their fault, but not an appetizing way to start the night). The host was unhelpful and the seating people system was unorganized. There was just one waiter, so there was a long wait for everything. While the NCAA Tourny was on, they decide to show muted black and white movies -- this is trying too hard to be cool. As for the food, the pretzel was great and perfectly cooked. While the Gorgonzola Fries are outstanding, the Parmesan with Truffle Mayo is nothing special. The truffle mayo tasted like plain mayo and the fries weren't hot enough. Had a Deep Ellum Old Fashioned and it was way too weak, especially for the price.

Lauren R.

I never feel cool enough to be sitting at the bar at Deep Ellum. It's dark, the menu's a mix of vegan and pub food, the cocktail list boasts standards and some fancier, old-fashioned options - the kind of drinks that contain raw egg and bitters. What is more, it's a small space with a sense of history where the bartenders are incredibly cool and tattooed (trust me, the word 'hipster' doesn't cover it)...I love it. I really like the vegan burger, which I normally top off with Gorgonzola cheese...which may or may not be an oxymoron. The only vaguely negative remark I could be justified in making would be how quickly the place gets crowded, but that's not really much of a complaint, is it? Regardless, Deep Ellum is one of my favorites and is by far the coolest bar in all of Allston Rock City.

Arestia R.

Sure, it's one of those Allston places loaded with pretentious hipster clientele, but Deep Ellum is the deal for real. There is a mix of the people that go there, as well and I liked the vibe. I didn't sit on the patio, but it looked really nice when I explored a bit. I came just for a drink, but some friends were finishing up dinner and they raved about the food, saying it was so good, so I plan to go back to actually eat. Still the main event for me here was the beer. They have so many incredible and unique brews. I opted for the "Maharaja" IPA, which had a nice nutty flavor. Our bartender was also attentive, which I always appreciate, asking us if we were good when she started to notice we were getting low. I came to just relax after work with some friends and we had a really great time.

grey b.

Great outdoor patio in back, and tasty $3 hot dog and fries, WHAT!? Top it off with a wondefully fantastic draught beet selection.

Sofia H.

great beers, great patio, friendly waitstaff AND you get to avoid the really really hipster crowd that lurks around the neighbourhood! fantastic! also their food is outstanding whether it's just a pretzel or one of their sandwiches- and truffle oil gorgonzola fries... need I say more?

Francesca R.

I took a risk here and got the Jamaican jerk chicken - way out of my usual comfort zone, food-wise. Well kids, I'm happy to tell you that it was delicious! Pretty much everything about this joint will delight - the bold and brassy cocktail menu, the rare-finds draft menu (Krusovice!!!), the wood bench and exposed brick relaxed vibe...even the wine list is pretty decent. I just checked out the brunch menu and it's really affordable - expect to see me on the patio this Saturday!

Xin S.

Extensive cocktail list (very original and inspired!), lots of beers and good food. Deep Ellum doesn't just offer typical bar food, there are some seriously gourmet/well thought out (and executed!) dishes. Brunch was also great--FANTASTIC bloody mary. Duck confit hash was a standout and I will definitely get the Portuguese sweet bread french toast next time (everyone around me got it!) Cocktails can get a bit pricey (but they're seriously good) but food is quite reasonably priced!

Charles C.

One of my favorite bars in the boston area. 1. The food is awesome and reasonably priced. If you want a nice burger with killer fries, this is your place. You dont even have to order a beer. Just eat here. 2. The beer selection is fantastic. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about their brews as well as their liquors. The first time my friends and I went here, we tried to order shots of patron. Our waitress told us they dont carry any names, and instead recommended us something similar, del maguey. So we tried it (they were served in these pottery shot glasses, i forget what they were called, but they were supposed to sweeten/smoothen the taste of the tequila. We loved it. We ordered a few more. We got bombed. haha. But in all seriousness, if you want to wander from your ordinary rolodex of drinks for a reasonable price, I recommend this place and the delish tequila. 3. GO FOR BRUNCH ON WEEKENDS! They lower the prices for food on the menu, and supposedly they make really nice bloody marys ( i never tried one but I always like to try new drinks so I did and I will never have bloody marys again. Tomato juice and booze? You serious?!!!) So I downed it quickly as I could and ordered myself my favorite, kapuziner weisee baby! 4. Or get here early on any night before you go out (this place is not that big so it gets prettttty crowded), have a few drinks, and go dance (only housee music, thanks).

Gretchen P.

awful. terrible. ... please don't go here - you'll ruin it!!!

Abigail T.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this awesome Allston local? My friends and I go here every time we are home and want to go some place where we can sit down and they already know what we want. Max and Casey and all the lovely ladies are bringing back the old art of bartending. Casey spins vinyl regularly and every time I go in this place I learn something new about music from him. Ask him to tell you his Sonic Boom story some time. Every time I come here I am treated like an old friend. The food is always good, somehow, despite their tiny tiny tiny kitchen. And they serve until midnight, which is key for a girl in the industry like me who likes to go get a meal after her shift. What more could someone ask for in a local?

Gail L.

Crowded, dark, noisy, fun. Went there with 3 others. I was told they had a few vegetarian/vegan choices. They had one fish option (the special that night) and no vegan items other than french fries and vegan burger. The fish was good, but I couldn't recommend this place to vegetarians. It's good for a beer, and great for meat eaters.

Thomas G.

Service was extremely slow, but the food was good. I never really felt welcome there though by the staff and for that, we didn't really enjoy our time there. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day. We went for Sunday brunch. It actually wasn't that crowded, so expected more attention from our waiter.

g-pap ..

i have not been to deep ellum in 4 months. but i imagine that as soon as my GF and i show up, we could ask for "the usual" and get some rye manhattans. indeed, the last time we were there, 5 months had lapsed since our prior, and barkeep extraordinnaire max greeted us and essentially resumed a conversation from back then. max loves his job, and it permeates the entire staff. he used to work at bukowski's, which explains the care in a finely honed 20-beer tap list. is your favorite beer on the list? perhaps, perhaps not. it doesn't matter, because they've chosen fine specimens of various styles, and keep fresh kegs with clean lines. no stale taste, no flat beer. that's worth the extra buck(s). they also have a cask-conditioned ale. i often assert that if a bar offers a cask, get it. i stand by this, but -- all their draughts are all so well served, in the same echelon as shay's, bukowski's, or publick's. the story goes (per max) that max left bukowski's because he tried to make cocktails a Thing, and the customers didn't give a crap. indeed, few bars have a passion for beer and for mixed drinks. deep ellum has the most fantastic, well-researched, and textured drinks i have ever had. this is no loose compliment -- i maintain a mental list of a dozen bars in DC and boston to get a fine manhattan or a sidecar. i'm looking at 9 single malts and 6 other whisky/bourbons on my shelf as i write this. i love the brown liquors. max does too. he is single-handedly bringing back the rye manhattan, and can talk for hours on different rye whiskeys. he knows a ton more than the folks at anchor steam brewery in san fran, who happen to make an excellent rye. but i digress. you can get 4 types of top-notch manhattans from the menu, and more should you request off-the-menu experimentations. which max is often doing. the man makes his own bitters for chrissake's. there are other drinks listed that are quite good, but they are not as interesting to me. we did have a nice drink called a waldorf that was being vetted for the menu. hope it made it -- pretty nice. oh, and there's food. it is a mixed bag -- i was underwhelmed by the wurst sampler but delighted by the mussels and the burger. it may depend on the day. but the drinks are the main deal. i reserve this place for when i need a boost, because i am not rich, and because it never fails to bring happiness within.

Sarah R.

Best Drink Menu in Boston, hands down! Great beer list too. The staff is super nice too, one bartender made me a new drink after I obnoxiously knocked mine over after talking with my hands like a crazy person. I'm even temped to give Deep Ellum a bad review just to keep new comers out...the place is small and I want to make sure I still have a spot at the bar when I come in!

Chris W.

Food here is solid whether you're looking for a burger and a beer or brunch to cure a hangover. Atmosphere is laid back. Out door seating is available if you don't get there during peak times and I highly recommend it if you have the chance.

Jesse W.

I must say, I was surprised by the beer selection from this part of town, not by the crowd, and not by the food. While you can expect to get a tasty burger to go with the varied assortment of imports I would not recommend straying from the impossible-to-ruin food. My friend, who is an avid consumer of all things food, couldn't finish his risotto. My girlfriend , who decided to stray from the usual slaughter sandwich, received a veggie burger that tasted more like canned pumpkin pie than meat. She is easily turned off by food, but neither my friend nor I would finish the meal for her. On a positive note the service was very friendly, and just to stress the point one more time, the beer was flowing from many countries into many glasses. The place is very small and the crowd... let me add a bit of history to my comment about the crowd so that you may prepare yourself for some of the snobby children you may run into. When I got to the bar at 7:30 most of the seats were filled with happy patrons. In one corner, however, there was a couple taking up the largest booth seat in the bar. While I did not have any intention of stealing the booth from them, I did want to plan ahead and stake my claim as the night went on - especially because I had 5 more friends coming after we finished eating. I approached the couple and pardoned my intrusion, but could they please let me know when they leave, I was going to be having more people coming. They promptly replied that "We just got here, and we don't know when we are leaving" in a offended snide tone. I once again said that I was sorry, and that my friends were not going to be there for another hour or so. They decided not to give me any more consideration than a 'yes'. After we were finished eating, my friends got to the bar, and we commenced ordering another round (including a British Brewing Company Coffeehouse Porter). Here we were 6 people standing around the bar, while a couple sat in the corner taking a table for 8. While I was not offended by this, they apparently were very offended by my talking to them, for when they left they tried to disappear without mentioning to me that they were off..... depressed college kids? OK, so once you get past the food, and the propensity to meet 'hip' but unhappy folk, you will find a very nice nook in Allston worthy of repeat visits.

H. A.

Have only been here for brunch. Fried egg BLT is awesome, the French toast is AMAZING- really thick fluffy bread, and decent Bloody Marys. I had the maple habanero wings too, and the meat was fresh and juicy but the sauce was too sweet and not spicy or complex enough. The service was soooooooooo slow and lackluster but the food is good.

Matt B.

It's typically crowded, but can you blame 'em? It's got an unusual beer selection at a price high enough to keep out the vagrants ;). Their casked beers have always been tasty. Speaking of tasty, their fries are mmm mmm good.

Ryoji U.

When this place first opened up I used to go in and there was practically no one hanging out here. Then word got around and the place seemed to EXPLODE. The food is pretty good, although I wish they would offer at least one more vegetarian option aside from the seitan burger (which is good don't get me wrong). Other than the food, the beer selection is great. I wish they had more middle of the road beers so that I didn't break the bank drinking here. I don't drink cocktails really but the ones I've had here are really good. When this place gets busy on say a Fri/Sat night, order drinks when you can because service tends to slow down a bit at peak hours. They play REALLY good music here although it's just a little too loud for me as I often find myself getting drunk and literally yelling just to talk to a friend sitting across the table. I would enjoy this place a lot more if it didn't get so loud and crowded at night. Don't forget, they close around 1am.

Aislinn H.

My favourite bar in Boston. I lived across the street when it first opened and stumbled in hungover one morning after a sign promised me brunch. Well it cured my hangover and it was amazing. Homemade corned beef, perfectly cooked eggs, delicious fruit and even some pretty good coffee. The lunch and dinner is just as good, portion size is perfect and the drinks are delicious. The Miller Mosa is cute and creative but also the perfect hangover cure. I havn't been in awhile since I moved out of Allston but they apparently have a roof deck now so I can't wait to go back. You must check this place out! It tends to get a bit crowded so pick an off night, cozy up at the bar and chat with the owner, he's a pretty interesting guy and he really knows his booze.

Dave L.

I approve of this place. When me and my fellow diner went in, it seemed a bit full for a Wednesday night, so we ended up sitting at the bar to eat. The bartender was very informed, and was quite friendly. The beer selection on draft really impressed me. I spotted a few hard to find favorites, and some beers I had never even heard of before. We started out with a big soft pretzel, which was pretty good, but it was the mustard that was the star of this dish! It was full of mustard seeds and had a great bite to it. I followed this up with a burger, that was prepared just as I had ordered it. The burger was good, but didn't really shine or stand out in any way. The fries were great. Just the right amount of crispy and a golden brown. If I go back and sample some of the more creative items on this menu, I may need to give it another star. Also, the prices during lunch look rather impressive, I may need to stop for lunch at some point in the near future.

Sarah S.

Great food, good drinks, good service. Only complaint is that it is very dark, people had to use their cell phones to read the menu. Will definitely be going back though.

Jillian S.

I've been putting off starting to write reviews because I change my mind frequently. And I'm really not picky. I mean, I have favorites, but I'm open to pretty much anything and pretty easy to please. But you, Deep Ellum, my love for you is so strong that I've decided to give you my review flower. I know we're going to be together forever, and while I might love other bars, my love for you will always be special. Even more so now that we've shared this moment. So, here we go. Everybody pretty much has covered it, but to add my two cents: The beers are great. Beers I've never heard of. Beers I've dreamed about. Beers I'm going to regret drinking, once I've drank 6. Oh well. The bartenders all know how to make fantastic cocktails. The staff here is overwhelming cool, nice, knowledgeable, and attractive. A cute bartender who can also tell me that if I like Hoegarden but want to change it up I should try _____? Sign me up. The food is also delicious. It can be a bit pricey for dinner - at least if you're on a tight budget - but you can get the same food for cheaper prices at lunch. And brunch is delicious. Oh, and if you are there post-lunch, from 4 PM - midnight and you want to eat but are feeling stingy, go for the chili dog. It's $4, and though the menu doesn't say so, it comes with fries. And it's yummy. They change the menu up frequently, both for food and drinks. And they honestly will make you whatever you want, when it comes to cocktails. Get to know the staff and let them choose for you. They've never let me down. See you there!!! EDIT: Holy Balls, they now serve brunch every day until 4 PM! MARRY ME, DEEP ELLUM! I demand bonus stars!!!!! Also, I got a little "tipsy" here last week and dumped a practically full glass of champagne on the floor while gesticulating wildly in an impassioned rant about my love of Justin Timberlake. I was judged for none of the above, and my glass was promptly full again. Because clearly, I needed more booze.

Alek C.

This is. The. Best. Bar. In boston. They have an excellent beer selecrion, and the bartenders take their mixed drinks seriously. Expect the quality of Drink, but no needless bloated ego - you can show up here in a tank top and be treated like a king for less than $10. It is cake to meet other people who appreciate greatness, while enjoying one of their 7 genius manhattan variants. It doesn't get any better than this, and all in the college ghetto of allston!

Scott S.

Deep Ellum has a small menu, but everything on it is very good. The burger is super good, and i usually get that or the meaty italian Big Easy. The wait staff is pretty hipster, and sometimes can be a little flaky on service, especially on a busy night. The place has a good amount of booths/tables inside, but there's also just as much seating outside on the deck. This place is either completely empty, or overfilled with people. I've been a couple dozen times, and it's never a comfortable amount of people. They play great music, and there's usually a lively, but not obnoxious, crowd. Their beer list will put your knowledge to the test. I consider myself to know a decent amount of beers, having tried many many different imports and domestics. But when i come to deep ellum, I don't know what ANY of the beers are. It's constantly changing, and i've found some really awesome beers there. However, pretty much no matter what you order will be $7-8. Which is a pricey way to try new beers. But the real reason i like Deep Ellum is their specialty cocktails. They have a pretty extensive list of old-school drinks. I've found a whole handful of new drinks/drink ideas that have now become some of my favorite drinks. So basically: Lively crowds, great food, awesome cocktails, rare beers and microbrews, and a nice big patio out back. It's one of my favorite bars in Boston.

Jackie G.

Really small, really crowded and no matter where you stand/sit you are always in the way. i spent the majority of the time getting out of other peoples way I had no time to enjoy myself. I also didnt like the crowd, maybe it was just the night I'm not sure but I wasn't a big fan. On the upside, the bartenders were very attentive for the amount of people that were there.

Sasha R.

People I trust like this bar. I was starving. We ducked in. It has all the makings of a cheesy romantic spot: exposed brick, dim lighting, mahogany? bar with a mirror... So how does a place like this keep itself as a no nonsense no bullshit beer bar with not a drop of cheese? I don't know, but they must be doing something right. Loved the crowd. Allstonites (they're like Cantabridgians, but can't afford to move across the river), and a few flannel shirts. Tattooed girl bartender, and a male bartender who was channeling... I couldn't put my finger on it... but he had flannel, full beard, red hair in an almost mullet... like a rustic Irishman... Anyway - tons of beer none of which I knew, so had to ask the bartender - she didn't make fun of me, so that's a plus. I'm a really cheap date, too: 1 beer and an 8 dollar burger. You must be hungry, said my date. Mmm? said I, dollop of ketchup and piece of lettuce hanging out the side of my mouth... The rest of the menu is a little odd: asian duck? middleastern chicken? don't seem like they belong as much as the best wurst plate and the gumbo... but why not, this place has rocked in every other way!

Ben L.

When there for a bite to eat and a beer or two before heading out on the town. I didn't have high expectations for their food but I was hoping that I would be pleasantly surprised. When I was confronted with their menu I was so taken aback by the options (many things that I wouldn't eat at a bar unless I knew that it was safe) that I went for the old fall back when minimizing risk and wend for the cheeseburger. I ended up Waiting far too long or the food to show up. Getting a cheeseburger that was highly over spiced and under my satisfaction level. Appreciating the water servers who provided distraction while waiting for my food to show up. Wished that there weren't as many trees around so some of the sun could have made it's way through. And finally I thought despite myself and the food that I like the bar. It's a good chill place to hang out with staff that is friendly enough. Go here for some decent beer picks on the menu. Don't count on the food.

Betsy K.

I have hated the food here on previous visits (everything everyone ordered looked brown and mushy-it was fall but still!) But after last nights visit I have changed my mind. The drinks and beers are, obviously, superb. The gorgonzola fries were so freakin good, I am talking myself down from going back there again tonight. And the waitress was super nice-maybe fake? I don't care-I enjoyed being called "sugar" and "honey". The only bad thing (and this did not affect my rating) was that I think the people at the table next to me were laughing at me. Frequently I give people something to laugh at, but I don't think I did last night. Ew. I felt self-conscious...

Walter G.

i love deep ellum. a lot. the only thing i DON'T like about it is that i feel like at some point it'll get the recognition it deserves and will become the new hangout for trendy douchebags and then it'll ALWAYS be packed and will lose it's charm. *sigh* anyway, everything here is exactly how i like it. ample beer selection, creative cocktails, menu items are all well done and range from hot dogs to fucking RABBIT, good music, good decor, AWESOME STAFF, and a clientel that's generally very friendly/cool/intelligent (yes, there are some annoying hipsters that say stuff like "postmodern" and "ironic" way too much, but come on, it's allston, if there weren't some of those i'd be scared). honestly, the staff is what really makes it. the owners are driven, cool, and experienced. they have a great vision and the perfect staff to execute it on a nightly basis.

Mark B.

I've gotten the Chimichunga, Reuben and breakfast burrito. All are really good and recommended. They also have a sweet beer menu. The waitstaff was really friendly, and you have to expect the hipster atmosphere going in there. Pricing is decent. The only negatives are that it is relatively dark and really small/cramped. There is a fun back patio area but if you aren't under an umbrella it can be REALLY bright and hot.

rewan a.

Checked this place out on a Thursday night. It was pretty busy but not jammed. Easily found a spot at the bar. The gentleman bartender with the tattoos was very polite and patient as I fussed about with their extensive beer menu. The beers were on the pricey side but you get a really nice different selection that you don't find at a regular bar. The first beer I had was very yeasty- excuse me, I forget the name. But the second one I had was really different. It definitely isn't my cup of tea (pint of beer? whatever) but it was interesting enough for me to enjoy it. It's smokey, and almost tastes like bacon. So if you like that smokey bacon taste, this beer is for you. Anyway.. overall, I really enjoyed my experience here. I heard the food is good as well so next time I go hopefully it will be on an empty stomach. 5 stars because I have no complaints.

Jason H.

Deep Ellum is one of the best hidden gems tucked away in the Brighton/Allston area and has improved by leaps and bounds from when they first opened. Their small-ish deck is very inviting on a warm day but the interior is very cramped... I usually get the gorganzola cheeseburger which is among the best I've had. The service is also quite friendly...Much more than your average bar. Beer selection is also pretty damn extensive, although about on par for a craft beer bar. Bottom line, its affordable, fun and their food quality and beer selection are among the best bars in Boston. I'll definitely be on the deck this summer-

Kara B.

This is one of my favorite places. Great vibe. Lots of craft beer. Yummy fries and the breakfast burrito is so good I wanna weep.

Caitlin C.

I love this spot; it is my neighborhood go-to for a solid drink and a phenomenal cheeseburger. I took off one star only because the music, especially for a small space, can get to deafening levels, and if I have to shout at my companion across a small bar table, I am not happy. Turn down the volume to one that doesn't create long-term hearing loss and it's five stars.

Sashont C.

Delicious and refreshing beers on tap, limited menu selections but still able to feed most pallets and eaters. Has nice sunny patio seating in the back which is great to enjoy on a sunning warm day. Small local pub. Parking is, well.... non-existent except for a few meters out front. Great spot to bike to. Definitely try the Crab Avocado stuffed Salad- YUM YUM YUMMMMM!

Allen P.

hands down one of boston's best neighborhood bars.

David G.

Well, many have already covered this place, but here's The Stigs take: Excellent beer menu! Lots of variety and well thought out with at least 25 options on draft I'd guess with none being typical. Many options on bottle, though many are quite expensive-although that's not exactly Deep Ellums fault. Expensive beer is expensive beer. Given its location and the demographic wandering about outside you can't help but be impressed with the menu and beer selection they've put together. Prices are very reasonable. I opted for the $8 hamburger, but I can tell you it was better tasting than some $14+ hamburgers I've had. The fries were incredibly crispy and a good size, but so crispy I fear they're probably using trans fat/hydrogenated laced oils to cook them in (It's 2009 guys think healthy). Bartenders had a good attitude and got the job done so no complaints there. The place itself isn't too big and is essentially a big rectangle with limited character. The bar area looks fine, but it's just a big boring rectangular room, so it's not the coziest of places. People wise there's no confusion here based on my Friday night visit: this is a spot for 20-somethings and 20-somethings only. I felt like one of the older guys there and the music was a bit too loud for good conversation. They had NCAA basketball on TV, but no one seemed to care because most looked like they probably hate sports in general haha. An ironic choice to be sure. In summary: excellent beer menu, good food at reasonable prices, good staff, but a younger place that's no frills in its feeling. A solid 4 stars.

Peench P.

There are some things that sort of rule my life: - Carbs, the bad kind for my body, but good for my brain and the ones I ate here tasted like heaven. - Bevvies. - Great music. - Great company. sold, I'm all yours. Do me again please.

Simon D.

Great spot. Solid drinks/beer selection and food was good.

Harsh V.

I'm new to the Allston/Brighton neighborhood and I've already found my new favorite bar. Awesome beer selection, very cool atmosphere, excellent staff, patio at the back if you want to have a quiet conversation. Try any of the Pretty Things beers while you're there.