Olde Magoun's Saloon

Olde Magoun's SaloonOlde Magoun's Saloon
Olde Magoun's SaloonOlde Magoun's Saloon
Bar, Eatery

518 Medford St
Somerville, Massachusetts, 02145-2657
United States

(617) 776-2600 | map
magounssaloon.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.14
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
24
pDev:
5.56%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SithLantern:
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Rated by SithLantern from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%

Jun 13, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Sheppard
Reviewed by Sheppard from Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
A homely Irish pub style bar, Olde Magoun's is unassumingly terrific. You expect an Irish Pub that is going to just rely on its Guinness or Smithwicks pouring prowess, but this place has a great beer list, usually has some cask, and has some fantastic nachos. This is one of my favorite bars for that very reason.
Apr 16, 2023
Photo of Glider
Reviewed by Glider from Massachusetts

4.54/5  rDev +9.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.25
This place was buzzing on one of their Oktoberfest German Menu Wednesdays. Oktoberfest taps and glassware are second-to-none in the area, with 10 offerings, each with the appropriate half and full liter mugs. The German food menu was quite good as well, and the food is reasonably priced. The pork stuffed with sausage meat was particularly tasty.

Service was also great. They even had someone walking around with free tasters of Traunstein, which is delicious by the way. Despite being busy, our server regularly checked if we needed more drinks, and brought them out quickly.

The regular beer list looked good as well, and they have 3 cask offerings.

This is just a great neighborhood bar with good food and a really good tap list, especially for Oktoberfest.
Sep 27, 2018
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.86/5  rDev -6.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
Very dark coming from the street. Plenty of wood. There are 28 beers on tap. Since its mid-September, there are approximately ten Oktoberfest beers on tap. Although it's not busy on a Saturday afternoon, everyone is convivial and relaxed.
Sep 15, 2018
 
Rated: 3.95 by NextJen from Massachusetts

Jun 13, 2017
 
Rated: 4.1 by Ela from Massachusetts

Apr 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4.15 by brother_rebus from Maine

Jan 04, 2016
 
Rated: 4.2 by rogacks from Massachusetts

Dec 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.1 by rjp217 from Massachusetts

Jul 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4.16 by snowmageddon from Massachusetts

Jun 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.36 by SveNss0N from Massachusetts

Apr 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by dcp27 from Massachusetts

Mar 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.08 by benzalman from California

Mar 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.48 by Theheroguy from Maryland

Feb 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.06 by Jason from Massachusetts

Feb 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by ChurchofPayton from Massachusetts

Nov 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by LennyBound from Illinois

Oct 05, 2014
Photo of ErinSully
Reviewed by ErinSully from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%
There's something delightful about this place. Nothing too fancy, but comfortable, the employees are friendly, the beer list is great and there's variety, and their communication (social media, etc) are HELPFUL and informative. Plus, once I went in with a friend and they were giving out free drink tickets. For no particular reason. Because they are wonderful.
Sep 19, 2014
Photo of ridedammit
Reviewed by ridedammit from New Zealand

3.85/5  rDev -7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Magouns is a comfortable neighborhood pub on the border of Somerville and Medford in Magoun Square. It is a combo of a local tavern, an Irish pub and a sports bar. Arrive at the wrong time (say a Patriot's game) and you will be standing. When there is not a local sporting event (I think there are a few days a year :) ) you can easily get a spot at the bar. The bartender (usually Eddie) is a good guy who is attentive and friendly. He is from across the pond so its easy to get him to switch on a futbol match.

Beer selection is mostly decent, some local stuff and a few other good "import" brews in bottle. Food is pub grub, but tastes a lot better than typical pub fare, and they do it in a tiny kitchen. I am not sure 2 people can fit in that space, but they can feed a good size room full of tables and a large bar with no problem.

I enjoy coming here, it is what I consider one of my local pubs.
Dec 09, 2011
Photo of amphion1065
Reviewed by amphion1065 from Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I’m not at all bitter about the time I spent at school in Providence, but reflecting on my college career I do wish that the city had a few more reliable beer bars (I still miss the GCB dearly and the beer scene has gotten better overall, but I think my point still stands). Upon moving to Boston, I was struck by the sheer volume of great drinking spots so close to the many colleges around here. Surely, had I spent my undergrad years in this city, I would’ve been a far happier – if poorer – Beer Advocate. Imagine my surprise, then, when I was recently met with blank stares from a number of Tufts graduates after I asked them about Olde Magoun’s. This isn’t necessarily a beer geek hotspot, just a neighborhood bar that happens to have a great beer list. Nonetheless, Magoun Square was apparently a little too far away from campus to be on their radars. Figures: I never really made it off the Hill for four years.

Magoun’s doesn’t try too hard, it just tries harder than it has to. This is a bar that could easily get by with five BMC taps, what with its seemingly continuous loop of Celtics/Bruins/Sox/Pats games displayed on several enormous screens. But Magoun’s isn’t interested in being another one of Boston’s oft-maligned anonymous sports bars. Fresh locals – Pretty Things, Cambridge, Haverhill – are always on tap along with a smattering of winners from the West Coast and beyond, and everything is served in properly branded glassware. In a town where beer is serious business and sports a far more serious one, Magoun’s is one of the surprisingly few bars where one can drink very well while catching a game.

Someone with culinary ambition mans the kitchen. Between Roast Sundays, $6 Fish Taco Mondays, and the oft-politically incorrect monthly rotating specials on Wednesdays (see “Asian Confusion” for April and May), I’ve always eaten very well here for a more than reasonable price. I hate to recommend a turkey sandwich, but I will – Magoun’s version is something of a dream haunter.

I’ve seen Medford cops grabbing a pint alongside grizzled regulars nursing their Gansetts here. I’ve seen groups of middle-aged women tearing through platters of nachos next to awkward second dates on cold Somerville nights in January here. And even though Magoun’s isn’t really accessible by public transit, I’ll find an excuse to go whenever possible. All told, it’s probably for the best that Magoun’s isn’t in Rhode Island – I had enough trouble stretching my paychecks.
May 12, 2011
Photo of SunDevilBeer
Reviewed by SunDevilBeer from Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
In the past year, Magoun's has become my one of my favorite (if not THE favorite) places to drink and eat in the Boston area.

Place has a real comfy Irish-pub type vibe that is authentic and not like most other Boston-area Gaelic gag-fests (looking at you Black Rose!)

Chalkboard lists around 24 taps, consisting mostly of regional & large crafts (Sierra Nevada & Anchor seasonals) and a great selection of German beers in the fall around O-fest time.

Service has always been prompt, friendly and attentive whether I sit at the bar or at a table. The staff seem geniuinely happy to have me as a guest...a breath of fresh air for the Cambridge/Somerville beer bar & restaurant scene.

They have the NFL Sunday Ticket package and have most if not all games showing on their HD Projection screens. Kudos.

Food is great. Burgers are solid, the pulled pork nachos are the best nachos in Boston, period. Fish and chips are of the fresh fish and fresh cut fries variety. It's obvious scratch cooking is done in the kitchen.

Though it may not have the lastest uber-geek selection, Magoun's is a great place to meet friends and catch a game.
Dec 14, 2010
Photo of Admiraldinty
Reviewed by Admiraldinty from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I love this place. It's one of the host bars of the St. Patrick's Day Road Race, and that's how I found out about it.

Really great tap selection, and a fair number of unusual bottle selections as well. How many bars do you know that carry Hennepin's Three Philosophers?

Friendly, efficient waitstaff.

Has pretty typical pub grub, but it's tasty.

Being in a college town, it attracts a college crowd during the school year, but the place isn't at all wild. Usually, it's a friendly, fun crowd, and it doesn't get too crowded on week nights. They also have trivia night once a week.
Jul 11, 2010
Photo of OtherShoe2
Reviewed by OtherShoe2 from Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -9.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
A decent sized (meaning neither too big nor too small) with a single long bar and enough seating/standing room to be comfortable. Several tv's with the latest game, including a drop down projection screen at the front of the establishment (a bit delayed and out of synch with the other's though). They also allow for parties (meaning, you can get a section of tables reserved, and have food served on the dividing walls at a flat rate). Not a college bar, but not an old fogey gin mill either.

Beers are fresh and the right temp. Food is what you'd expect. All is generally good.

Busy, with wait staff hitting the tables with good regularity. Bartender is hustling, but at the time I was there, they needed one more person back there. There literally was a line for drink orders at the tap, which isn't good for those in line, and really sucks for those sitting at the bar and tipping out the bartender.

Not a huge tap selection, but big enough. Good bottle selection, and good seasonal/general rotation of beers, but alot of favorites remain (i.e. Fullers ESB always seems to be there). Some good oddities that are worth the try in a bar rather than a bomber or six as well.

Food selection is very good, with pizzas being unique and tasty. Bigger meals are also good as far as pub fare is concerned. Good variety of fried appetizers, and some cold healthier stuff as well.

Beers are in a decent range, in general ($4.00-$6.00), and the food wasn't going to break the bank.

Overall, a good place to stop. Great for the locals who walk down. parking sucks, with meters checked till 8:00 pm, but at least they have warning signs for this in the bar. Worth trying.
Jan 19, 2010
Photo of cornsnake23
Reviewed by cornsnake23 from California

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
This place is right around the corner from my apartment so I was thrilled when I found out that they don't keep any BMC on tap (although they do have almost all of them in bottles). They have a great selection that's diverse and it's always changing. Tap rotation is very good. I go in about once every two weeks or so and there are always new taps to try when I go. They also have a few good crafts in bottles, but they have enough taps that are constantly changing that I haven't felt the need to order a bottle yet. The beers are all between $4-6 a pint which I feel is very reasonable.

The food is pretty good based on what I've had. They've actually changed their menu recently and the new pulled pork sandwich they added is really good, topped with a very flavorful coleslaw and your choice of a big pile of fries or a big pile of onion rings. My girl got the popcorn shrip mac 'n' cheese which was very tastey and is served in the pan used to cook it. The prices are great with sandwiches and entres ranging from $8-13. Definitely a bargain if you want a nice dinner and some good beer.

The atmosphere is very relaxed. It's never really too loud unless it's a game night. They have televisions all around to watch sports and they even have 3 HUGE projection screens on all sides of the bar so you can watch the bigger games from anywhere you are sitting. They recently started doing a trivia night, though I haven't attended this yet.

The crowd seems to be some locals and a lot of tufts students. I've seen the full age range in there from 20 year olds to 60 year olds. It just seems to be a very friendly place and the bartenders don't mind you chatting them up about the beer they're serving and giving you samples if you'd like to try a beer without making a commitment.

The wait staff is friendly and does a good job during the dinner hours getting you food and drinks and anything else you want. My only complaint is that they don't seem to write the orders down so occasionally you may have to ask for something twice (such as some extra bbq sauce or a glass of water alongside your beer). But other than this they always seem to be around to get you what you need and very rarely have I seen patrons sitting around with empty glasses.

My only real gripe is that the beer list on their website isn't kept up with very well. They change out their taps so often that they should be updating their website every week or two, but they seem to be lazy about doing it and even the stuff they do have listed on the online list is spelled wrong or the completely wrong beer. Hopefully they will get someone to keep up with it and do it the right way someday.

All in all, this is a great little bar if you're in the area and want some craft beer but don't care if there aren't 100 taps.
Jun 22, 2009
Olde Magoun's Saloon in Somerville, MA
Place rating: 4.14 out of 5 with 24 ratings