Doherty's East Avenue Irish Pub

Doherty's East Avenue Irish PubDoherty's East Avenue Irish Pub
Doherty's East Avenue Irish PubDoherty's East Avenue Irish Pub
Bar, Eatery

342 East Ave
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860-3821
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.32
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
55
pDev:
8.8%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by kyle8940:
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Rated by kyle8940

5/5  rDev +15.7%

Sep 25, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.48 by Buddance from Massachusetts

Aug 20, 2016
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Rated by NEB_beer from Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 3.75
Great tap list!
Apr 13, 2016
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Reviewed by erikcx from Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Very friendly place - bartender greeted us right after walking in, hooked us up with menus, and helped us pick our first round. The food is very tasty; the selection is fairly standard, but everything is fresh and well made. Have been back multiple times and each visit has been great. My favorite spot for beers and snacks in RI!
Mar 25, 2016
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Reviewed by kalosjakar from Rhode Island

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.75 | food: 3.75
Decent food and an impressive beer selection. Lots of taps, and lots of bombers available as well. They have an open mic night, so this could be a good/bad thing. You may want to find out when this is ahead of time if this would be a problem for you.

I think this is the best beer selection at a bar in Pawtucket/Providence area.
Dec 23, 2015
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Rated by mikemitchell12 from Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +15.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
How can you go wrong with this place?
Jul 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.8 by badvibes2015 from Rhode Island

Jul 07, 2015
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Rated by JohnDuhamel

4.78/5  rDev +10.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Excellent beers on tap Highest quality
Mar 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.31 by RichD from Rhode Island

Jan 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.52 by Fernans from Rhode Island

Dec 05, 2014
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Reviewed by MasterDebator from Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -30.6%
Huge beer selection, but servers were not knowledgeable and whoever was playing the music should be fired. Had one of the IPA's and it was off--am a bit concerned about how old some of this stuff is.
Nov 20, 2014
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Rated by MakeMineADoubleJack from North Carolina

5/5  rDev +15.7%
Great food and a terrific selection on draft. Had 2012 BCBS my first time there!!! And the atmosphere is just right.
Nov 09, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by sclements84 from Rhode Island

Aug 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Sellen from Connecticut

Jul 19, 2014
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Rated by Doomcifer from Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +15.7%
My favorite beer spot in RI. And the food is fantastic as well. Win/Win.
Jul 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by richobrien from California

Jun 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by run4beer2112 from Massachusetts

Jun 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by ChrisinRI from Rhode Island

May 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by mmurphy from Massachusetts

Mar 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by BeerRay from Rhode Island

Feb 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Rhody1 from Rhode Island

Feb 15, 2014
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Reviewed by Bla from Rhode Island

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Doherty's is a Providence/Pawtucket institution and rewards those who travel beyond the downtown bar and brewpub scene. The biggest selection in the state--they've recently opened a new establishment in Warwick--you'll always find something you know is good--and usually a few others you've never heard of or have been waiting to try. The high ABV pours are strict and and a bit pricey, but the friendly bartenders don't skimp on tastes. The food menu is extensive and strong as well.
Dec 27, 2013
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Reviewed by Mikecap from Massachusetts

4.86/5  rDev +12.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
I have been here many times, and frequent the spot as it is pretty close to my house. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but this place is the epitome of a hidden gem. If you like beer and live anywhere in Rhode Island or nearby Massachusetts, you definitely should try to get here.

The selection is massive--about 84 taps I believe, and it is, for the most part, all really good stuff and usually in season. However, they do interestingly always keep a pumpkin beer or two on draft due to their popularity (I've questioned them on the freshness but they never seem to think it is a big deal). The selection also rotates frequently, and the local breweries can always be found on the menu. This is one of the few places I've found some specialty brews from Foolproof, Bucket, and Grey Sail breweries, and they always sell out quickly. There is also a decent selection of hard to find bottles, yet I've never ordered one. I suggest joining the beer club if you plan to frequent Doherty's often, as it pays off with free stuff.

The food is standard pub fare, but it is actually really, really good in my opinion. For vegetarians and vegans they offer both tempeh and tofu as meat substitutes, and they do a good job at making interesting dishes with them. I typically stick with sandwiches, and there is a wide variety to choose from. The burgers are good and I'm a huge fan of the buffalo fries and the sweet potato tater tots. People I have been with have also raved about the quesadillas and the wings. In terms of entrees, there are things like fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and some pasta dishes.

Doherty's also does a promotion every Monday evening, where you are awarded a free pint glass if you purchase a beer from that night's featured brewery. Not a bad way to score a free glass, and there is typically a few brews from that night's brewery to choose from.

Overall, this place is far from fancy, but I don't really care because it has a massive selection of great beer. One complaint I would voice is that some of the staff is not overly educated on the beer, but a lot of them really do know their stuff. Aside from that, service is generally efficient and friendly. The prices are occasionally high for a given brew, but overall they are not bad. The food is nothing gourmet but is above average pub food at good prices.

Get here if you can!
May 29, 2013
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Reviewed by dancaplette from Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Doherety's probably has the best craft beer selection in R.I. Great selection of local and beer from around the country and some imports. Good pub menu steak tips,burgers, wings,etc. You will always see families in here young and old, they have a brunch on the weekends. Great atomosphere, but the star here is the beer selection. They are also opening up a Doherety's Ale House in Warwick in June.,I here over 100 selections on tap.

You can't go wrong making a trip here, it's a must.
May 29, 2013
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Reviewed by makalvy

4.05/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 2.75
Beer prices are nice - there may be a few less expensive joints for beer aficionados but for being near Providence, this place is very reasonable.

Food is ok, also reasonable, but the strong point is really the beer selection - there is an entire placemat sized menu front and back with choices.
Jan 28, 2013
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Reviewed by SunDevilBeer from Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -12%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Really like that atmosphere of this place. Looks like an old house in downtown Pawtucket. Casual & a bit won around the edges but is very charming. Big L-shaped bar with lots of cozy tables. A few flat screens scattered throughout showing sports.

Huge selection of local & regional craft beers. Nothing "rare" or unusual but that's fine with me. Settled for a few Ithaca Flower Powers & a forgettable Newport Storm offering
Beers tasted clean.

Service was OK. One of the servers was a bit of a grouch, another was pleasant.

Really enjoyed the burger I had here. Obvious that fresh ingredients are used in the kitchen.

Had a good time here - will visit again if in the area.
Dec 15, 2012
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Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +11.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
This is a great place to drink craft beer- in an out-of-the-way place-Pawtucket RI. Pawtucket is working class, so if you are the snobby type, don't go here.

Excellent craft beer selection, with many craft beers on tap. The atmosphere is family-biker, with semi-loud music. The servers are excellent, and knowledgeable about the beer.

I had a Goose Island Pere Jacques Dubbel, which is uncommon in most craft pubs. They also had beers like McNeils from Northhampton, MA.

The food is good- wholesome:) pub food.

It's out the of way- you may need a GPS to get there, if you don't know RI. Worth the trip.
Sep 02, 2012
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Reviewed by JimmieFrisbee from Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Doherty's is possibly the best place in Rhode Island to get a beer.

With 84 tap offerings, a firkin, a wide bottle selection, and a beer cocktails menu, there is literally something for just about anyone as far as beer is concerned. Taps rotate pretty quickly... there's usually close to a dozen new arrivals when I go in each week, and so product is fresh.

They put on a pretty decent trivia on Tuesdays and Sundays, which draws a moderate crowd. There are no beer or food specials on trivia nights, though, and the prize is pretty weak, which is too bad. I guess they do enough business without.

Food is typical pub food and comfort food. Definitely good, but certainly not outstanding. It is definitely a place to go for the beer, but you can have a good meal there.

Pricing about what I'd expect, $5 +/- $1 for most offerings. By no means cheap, but I think you're paying for what you get.

New enclosed deck adds substantially more seating, and will be especially nice in the summer.

If you're in the area, this is definitely *the* bar for beer.
Nov 10, 2011
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Reviewed by mostpoetsdo from Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
A: Lots of cool old (and new) beer related decorations on the wall. Very old feeling, and a bunch of beer loving people around you (except those drinking BMC bottles, why you wouldn't try one of the dozens of good beers on tap is beyond me, but I digress). Has a small bar area in front, and dining all around. There's a semi-outdoor dining area, too. Always looks busy. There are special events and live music throughout the week, too.

Q&S: Everything served in correct glassware, and as such, smaller portions at higher prices (for beers). During the first visit, we scored a couple seats at the bar (rare to get, apparently) and the bartender assured me a certain beer wasn't on tap, but I showed her on the beer menu, and she apologized. Besides having a bit of an attitude, she was pleasant for the rest of the night. Second visit, we sat in the dining area. I was surprised how well everything works, assigning individual people to certain jobs: attentive waiter, girl who brought beers, girl who took beers away, a person to bring you food, and a person to take the plates away. Hectic, but attentive.

S: First of all, the beer menu is on the place mat, very cool. They indicate which beers are running out, and what beers they just got in, so you know what's fresh. Huge New England offerings, and a decent selection from California, but they are always changing, and the beer menu is online! Not enough places do this. Lots of limited releases, beers you wouldn't expect to find on tap in RI. They always have at least one cask going on, and changes every week.

F: Good bar food, but also so many Mexican and numerous other offerings, all different styles. But it's all bar-level good.

V: I'd say expect to pay at least $5 for a full pint of anything, and with smaller pours of limited beers, the price increases greatly. The beers add up quickly, even when doing a flight sampler: each 5 oz sample is $1.50, but double the price for the better beers (which is a majority).

Bottom Line: still probably the best beer bar in Rhode Island.
Sep 14, 2011
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Reviewed by Burt from Rhode Island

2.9/5  rDev -32.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 2
Walk in to dark wood interior. Sat in a booth for dinner. Bar has seating for about 12 with seats in back of the bar. Dining area is separate from bar with booths on the walls and tables in the center. They have a new beer garden that is some what open to the outside.

Beer was ok.

Waitress was attentive and good but food service was slow. The rest of the clean up staff was pushy. We felt as if we being rushed.

84 beers on tap.

Food was so so. Ordered nacho's which came barley lukewarm and a sandwiches that was just thrown together quickly.

I found the place to be more very expensive than a bit pricey for what we got.

With 84 beers on tap, 1 cask and more bottles to choose from this could be a good place to have a couple of brews. Our waitress was really good but the other people working around her was pretty rude. It almost felt as if they needed plates and glasses back as quickly as possible. One of the clean up crew grabbed my beer glass with a little beer in it. Kept asking if he could take our plates with food still on them.

We were going to stick around and have a couple more beers but I guess or time share had run out. There is not a lot of places that offer as many brews a these people do in the area but the prices are high and the overall experience was underwhelmed.
Aug 05, 2011
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Reviewed by ant5431 from Rhode Island

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
My favorite place to have a few beers and some grub after work! The place doesn't look special from the outside but once inside it has a very casual laid back feel that welcomes you.
The staff is great Tom and Kim the two day bartenders are the ones that usually serve me and are awesome they are always smiling, know the beer they are serving and quick to suggest a beer and offer a sample from the taps!
The beer list is the biggest Ive seen in Rhode Island and always changing 82 taps & 60+ bottles. The food is very good and priced reasonable and usually a game or 2 on the TVs.
PS The weekend brunch kicks A$$!
Mar 15, 2011
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Reviewed by drumenigma from Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
I love going here. They have an awesome beer selection and their food is good as well. I believe they expanded their taps somewhat recently which allowed them to expand the draft selection. It's not a huge place. I believe they also get casks in as well. They usually have some beers which are normally on draft then rotate in some new selections. I have been very impressed with some of the things they have had on draft. You can also do flights here if you like so you can sample a variety. It's definitely a great place to head to in RI for beer.
Dec 12, 2010
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Reviewed by BogleHill from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5
This has to be the best kept secret in Rhode Island! - Thanks to my sister for telling me about the place. It's an old grimy sportsbar that doesn't look like much from the outside. However, the new owners have done a lot of work adding a huge beer menu and great food at good prices. The place has plenty of character. The beers are all listed on a placemat, which changes often. So much to choose from. The food is very tasty and reasonable. I have returned here several times, and would recommend it to anyone in the Southern New England area - especially if you want to avoid the pricy places in Providence.
Jul 19, 2010
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Reviewed by jfredrickson from Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +15.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Stumbled upon this place a few years ago when I moved up to the Providence/East Providence area. I grew up in South County so my view of a good beer bar is the Mews.

Well, this place is much better than the Mews. The menu is diverse and the food is very consistent. I especially like the steak tip sandwich, called the "Mighty Hef". The wings are good as well, especially on Monday when they are only .25ea!

The beer selection is outstanding. Many delicious draft beers and even more in bottles. One thing I like about this place is the owner won't stock any bottles unless he can go thru a full case in a reasonable amount of time. This ensures there are no stale beers. My new favorite is the Brooklyn Pilsner.

If you haven't tried out this place, it is a must.
Apr 29, 2010
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Reviewed by jmagoni from Rhode Island

4.95/5  rDev +14.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Checked this place out with my wife tonight to grab a bite and enjoy their extensive selection of brews. The pub was quite busy, but did not feel overcrowded at all. You can choose where you want to sit so, we grabbed a table over by the bar and began looking over the beer selection, which is found on the table printed on a trifold pamphlet. I started out with a dogfish head 90 minute IPA draft 10oz for 5.50 and my wife ordered a woodchuck amber pint for 4.75. We had the southwest quesadilla for an app and I ordered the pulled pork plate for my entree, while my wife chose the french dip. I followed up my IPA with a BBC coffee porter nitro (5.50 pint) and then a brooklyn chocolate stout (4.50 10oz), both on tap. The food was really good pub grub and the service was above and beyond great. The server was knowledgeable and welcoming, which isn't often found in RI. We will certainly be back and with all the great beers to try, I hope it is quite often!
Mar 29, 2010
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Reviewed by CHILLINDYLAN from Washington

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
One of my favorite places in Providence. A tucked away hole in the wall with a ton of taps. Decent food and reasonably priced too. Gets pretty crowed on nights when there's a big game to be seen or a brewer's night (to be expected). But the atmosphere is nice and laid back, the service is pretty good (when its not packed), and the staff for the most part is pretty knowledgeable (aside from one waitress we had who didn't have a clue and said her favorite beer was miller lite). Probably the best draft selection in Rhode Island, great beers, good times.
Feb 28, 2010
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Reviewed by bmbig from Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +5.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I love this place.

It's just a little hole in the wall, but you walk up to the bar at to your surprise they've got something like 35 beers on tap.

The emperor of beer updates their draft list online every so often. He doesn't get crazy rare beers in there, but certainly one of the best draft selections in rhode island and southeast MA.

The food is just simple, laid back pub food and is super good. Service is friendly and fast.

If you live within a 15-20 min drive I definitely reccomend this as a spot to grab a bite to eat, watch the game, and have some good beer.
Jan 20, 2010
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Reviewed by AndyAvalanche from Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
My wife and I went for an early lunch and had ourselves a wonderful time. You walk in and it's a dim vintage looking pub. It was a Sunday early afternoon and it wasn't football season so there wasn't much of a crowd. There are a few flatscreen TV's all around the bar and then there's a restaurant part you can sit with a family if you'd prefer. We ended up sitting at the bar because we wanted to see the taps and there were only a couple of people sitting there. They had 48 draft lines, a cask, and probably over 100 other options for beer by bottle. Good stuff on both ends from all different craft breweries from all over the US and several imports as well. The breweries included (but not limited to) Sam Adams, Harpoon, Stone, Rogue, Dogfish Head, Brooklyn, Avery, Smuttynose, Kona, Magic Hat, Hogaarden, Leffe, North Coast, Southern Tier, Clipper City, New England Brewery, Trappist and the list goes on and on. A very good selection. Everything seemed to be very appropriately taken care of, clean draft lines, everything in bottles appropriately fresh. The Bartender told us that the manager was a big beer fan and some of the brews he buys in bulk and ages appropriately for better tasting beer. The Service was very good. It wasn't busy but the bartender was very personable and she was very knowledgable about the beer as well. She was also very nice, called us both pet names like "sweety" and "honey" made us feel very welcome and comfortable. The food was pretty good. We each got a bowl of clam chowder, which was ok, I actually expected a little bit more from it, but it was decent. She got a burger and fries that she really enjoyed, I ended up getting the shepards pie meal and it was phenomenal, tasted home-made from scratch. We also split a flight with 4 samples to get us warmed up. I ended up getting Stones13th Anniversary, my wife got a Southern Tier Mokah, then I got an Imperial Stout Trooper Stout. It was only about a 40 minute drive for us, so we both decided we want to go back.
Aug 10, 2009
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Reviewed by BeTheBall from Florida

4.13/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Went yesterday (Saturday) at about 6:00 after a fun round of golf & rain. Driving through the neighborhoods from exit 26 had my friend worried, as this was our first visit. When we found it, we looked at each other; the paint is peeling, the screen on the side door to the kitchen is broken off, there was a sketchy man sitting on the stoop out front, but we parked and gathered our courage. Opening the door and looking in instantly made me happy. A lovely wodden l-shaped bar with taps all over the place, a large coller full of bottles, and much liquor.
The bar itself was kind of quiet, more people were in the next room at dining tables, but overall the place was not busy by any stretch. The bartender gave us good prompt service. The beer menu has maybe 40 drafts on one side and just as many bottles on the other side. Overall a very good selection containing numerous IPA's APA's, Hefe's, a couple of stouts (Stone RIS!), 2 Barleywines, and some misc. other ales.
I started w/ a 10 oz. Maharaja ($8). Ended with a 4 beer flight (you can also order a 6 beer flight) with Delirium Tremens, Loose Cannon on cask, Harpoon Helles Blond Bock and SN Brown Saison. Great stuff. We also had an order of Buffalo Wings, which were very good. Hot enough that you knew it, but not over done. Just right.
My only concern is the pricing. I think for that area the prices are high.
$13 for a bottle of Rochefort 10? $8 for 10 oz. of Maharaja? These are higher than TPH, my frame of reference for any good beer bar, and this is Pawtucket! Nachos on their menu were $10.99, maybe the highest I've ever seen.
Despite the prices, the selection was really nice, so I'm sure I'll visit again. A breath of fresh air in an area that has too few good places to enjoy beer.
Jul 04, 2009
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Reviewed by GJ40 from North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I've been to East Ave for the great beer selection several times now. The atmosphere is just what I like... a comfortable, relaxing pub environment. It's on the dark side with lots of bar space, quite a few tables and a mix of beer and sports paraphernalia. My last visit was on a Monday night. They do 25 cent wings and the place was packed.

They keep quite a few on tap (maybe 30+), one on cask and many more in the bottle. The numbers were pretty impressive while I'd previously felt the draft selections lacked a little, they seem to be doing better now. There are quite a few New England beers (Smuttynose, Wachusett) along with some great American breweries (Stone, Sierra Nevada, DFH, Brooklyn) and a fair number of Belgians (Chimay, Leffe, Delerium). If you don't find something on draft, they've got many more in the bottle.

The servers are very patient and attentive and the food is very good. The steak tips are a bit of a house special and won't disappoint. The chicken sandwich was fantastic as well.

Doherty's is about as good a beer bar as you'll find in RI.
Jun 30, 2009
Doherty's East Avenue Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI
Place rating: 4.32 out of 5 with 55 ratings