(617) 776-6896

247 Elm St
Somerville, MA 02144 42.3956 -71.1217

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Neighborhood: Davis Square

BURREN.COM

Hours:

Monday To Sunday From 11:30 AM To 09:45 PM

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants, Nightclubs, Bars & Clubs, Neighborhood Bars, Bars & Pubs, Taverns, Irish Pubs

Payment Methods:

Cash

Cuisine:

Irish

Bar & Club Type of Music:

Folk & Bluegrass, Irish & Celtic, Blues, Rock & Pop

Bar & Club Special Features:

21 & Over, After Work, Live Music, Late-Night Scene

Minimum Age:

21

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Burren

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Irish music and dancing are the centerpiece at this large Davis Square pub, which is usually packed with a boisterous crowd of Tufts grads and undergrads. But don't count out folks from the other side of the river who are looking for live music, a great beer selection (Guinness, Murphy's Irish Stout and Caffrey's, to name a few) and perhaps a phone number or two. – – The Draw – The Burren's secret weapon is the music. You'll find an authentic, Irish-style gathering of musicians grouped around a table seven nights a week. The Backroom also plays host to a…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
Free wireless internet access is available.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is really warm and cozy, and at Christmas time they put up a lot of decorations and lights, which makes it feel like a movie set or something.”
  2. “We sat on the patio on a beautiful day and really enjoyed the atmosphere.”
  3. “The live music in the back room makes the Burren awesome for starting off a fun night.”
  4. “Healthy mix of nearby college crowd and older folks looking for great atmosphere.”
  5. “recently stopped in at The Burren and found it to be a very comfortable place to get dinner and drinks.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “nice place to get dinner and drinks”
  2. “Not only is the Irish music good, but the bar also has 80s/90s bands.”
  3. “The beer is always good (they actually clean the l.”
  4. “Best bar in Boston area!”
  5. “They have some good beers on tap too.”
  6. “Great social bar and good food!”
  7. “The fish and chips was good and the place had a good selection of beers on tap.”
  8. “The first is a kind of gathering area with a good bar.”
  9. “The live music in the front is consistently good, and the beer selection is great.”
  10. “The bartenders are *decent* for such a busy place, but once you make yourself a regular, drinks are easy to come by.”
  11. “great beers, great music, tends to get really crowded really quickly.”
  12. “TheBurren is simply the best Irish bar in the New England.”
  13. “recently stopped in at The Burren and found it to be a very comfortable place to get dinner and drinks.”
food quality
94.44000244140625% positive
  1. “had some clam chowder, which was delicious, and sampled some of my boyfriend's steak - it was decent, definitely better than we could have cooked but not outstanding or anything.”
  2. “Great social bar and good food!”
  3. “The fish and chips was good and the place had a good selection of beers on tap.”
  4. “The food is fantastic!”
  5. “Whether you get a burger or baked fish, they do everything just right, and the service is great!”
  6. “The food is also pretty good, a little more on the average side and they have a relatively small menu, but it's cheapish.”
  7. “The authentic Irish servers and their cute accents ad.”
  8. “The Guinness is always fresh and well poured.”
  9. “had a perfectly poured Guiness and the most delicious fish and chips I've ever had for lunch.”
menu variety
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “The live music in the front is consistently good, and the beer selection is great.”
  2. “The fish and chips was good and the place had a good selection of beers on tap.”
  3. “The food is also pretty good, a little more on the average side and they have a relatively small menu, but it's cheapish.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “The fish and chips was good and the place had a good selection of beers on tap.”
  2. “nice place to get dinner and drinks”
service
75.0% positive
  1. “The service kind of sucks.”
  2. “The authentic Irish servers and their cute accents ad.”
  3. “The bartenders are *decent* for such a busy place, but once you make yourself a regular, drinks are easy to come by.”
  4. “Whether you get a burger or baked fish, they do everything just right, and the service is great!”
3 Star Rating: Average

04/28/10

Hearty food near Davis

by gethebassics , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

This was a solid place for a heavy winter meal. The service kind of sucks... the waitress seemed really stressed out and annoyed that she was working and barely stopped to take our order, let alone ask how everything was doing as the meal progressed. I had some clam chowder, which was delicious, and sampled some of my boyfriend's steak - it was decent, definitely better than we could have cooked but not outstanding or anything. I hear their 80s night is pretty fun as well. Good selection of beer.

  • Pros: Hearty food, good beer
  • Cons:  Inattentive service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/05/09

Great place for lunch

by ncgalnew2ma at Citysearch

I had a perfectly poured Guiness and the most delicious fish and chips I've ever had for lunch. We sat on the patio on a beautiful day and really enjoyed the atmosphere. I can't wait to try it out at night for after work drinks and dinner.

  • Pros: good draft beer, great food, cheap prices
  • Cons: none
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/05/09

Great place for lunch

by ncgalnew2ma at Citysearch

I had a perfectly poured Guiness and the most delicious fish and chips I've ever had for lunch. We sat on the patio on a beautiful day and really enjoyed the atmosphere. I can't wait to try it out at night for after work drinks and dinner.

  • Pros: good draft beer, great food, cheap prices
  • Cons: none
4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/23/09

One of my favorite Irish bars

by blueskies2009 at Citysearch

I always have fun here. Not only is the Irish music good, but the bar also has 80s/90s bands. A perfect place to bring friends and spend the night out. The bartenders are *decent* for such a busy place, but once you make yourself a regular, drinks are easy to come by. What I like most about the Burren is the layout. There is ample room to sit, dance, talk, etc

  • Pros: good crowd, lotta young professionals
  • Cons: parking
4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/20/07

Great Irish pub

by hatchiematchie at Citysearch

I love this place. It definitely is as authentic as you can get for an Irish pub. A lot of the bartenders and bouncers are actually from Ireland, and I don't think I can remember a time I've been there when I haven't heard at least one Irish accent among the people in front of the bar as well. I recently found out that the owners actually live in Ireland, so I suppose that's part of the reason why it's so legit. The live music in the front is consistently good, and the beer selection is great. The atmosphere is really warm and cozy, and at Christmas time they put up a lot of decorations and lights, which makes it feel like a movie set or something. The food is also pretty good, a little more on the average side and they have a relatively small menu, but it's cheapish. The only downside--and I suppose you get this at any bar--is that they won't let you sit at the tables until 9:00 if you're not getting dinner. Normally that wouldn't be that big of a deal, but since it feels more like a pub in there than a restaurant, it's a little annoying. Otherwise, though, it's great. One thing to note if you're a veggie-burger lover: they fry their veggie burgers, and they're not quite like any other one I've had. They're good, just different. It can just be a little unexpected the first time.

  • Pros: Cozy atmosphere, authentic Irish pub, good beer selection, good music
  • Cons: Can't sit at the tables until 9:00, cover charge even if you don't plan on seeing the band in the back room

The Details on Burren

Place Categories:

  • like place
  • best irish bar
  • great atmosphere
  • great irish music
  • cheapish food
  • great beers
  • good fish
  • awesome burren
  • consistently good live music
  • authentic cute
  • great pub
  • \* decent bartenders
  • delicious clam chowder
  • always fresh guinness
  • good crowd
  • good chips
  • authentic irish servers
  • great pint
  • great service
  • great accents