The Haven

The HavenThe Haven
The HavenThe Haven
Bar, Eatery

2 Perkins Street
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 02130
United States

(617) 524-2836 | map
thehavenjp.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.02
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
11
pDev:
18.66%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by BraisingCain:
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Rated by BraisingCain from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.5%

Apr 23, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev +1%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4.75
Semi-authentic Scottish eatery and pub. The food is inspired by Scotland. The decor is not, although there are several Scottish artifacts that attempt to say otherwise.

Plenty of Scotch Ales to choose from, but the food is the real standout here with traditional Scottish dishes and Scottish inspired meals. I like the consistency to emphasize the Scottish attitude. This place doesn't try to be too many things.

The servers were attentive but not very knowledgeable about the beer. That's okay by me but don't expect to be educated on the subtle differences between the offerings. That said, they are happy to provide tasters, including one where I said I wouldn't order it.
May 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by trevorpost from Pennsylvania

Mar 25, 2015
 
Rated: 5 by jmichiel from Massachusetts

Jun 20, 2014
Photo of DarkerTheBetter
Reviewed by DarkerTheBetter from Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4.25
Stopped by for some brunch and a little World Cup. The atmosphere is cozy with tons of rough wood and local art, although a little dark. Overall it had a very homey and welcoming feeling.

Brunch was wonderful. I had the traditional Scottish breakfast and was impressed. Not too large of a serving, but a nice selection of thick bacon, blood sausage, beans and eggs. I had a local pils and an IPA from Six Point. Not too bad!

Service was friendly yet unobtrusive. If this was my local bar, I'd be thrilled.
Jun 15, 2014
Photo of tomharris73
Reviewed by tomharris73 from Massachusetts

4.73/5  rDev +17.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.75
I live nearby and have been here a lot--brunch, dinner, late night, and several times in between. I've always found the quality of the food to be very good. They make almost everything themselves: haggis, sausage, bacon, pickles, bloody Mary mix, even the #@$¥ing ketchup! And I find the (albeit few) draft lines to be a well selected mix of Scottish and local beers. I never had a Belhaven stout until I went there. And their bottle selection is unique. Kelp ale? Really? Never tried it, but glad they have it. I saw one review that said their draft lines were dirty and the service was poor. That guy, self admittedly, only went there one late night. Maybe he didn't really know where he was, or maybe his tastes or perceptions were denuded from a long, weary night of...socializing, but that couldn't be farther from my experiences.
Jun 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by doremite from Vermont

May 29, 2014
Photo of Larrydoherty
Reviewed by Larrydoherty from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
The Haven is a true Scottish restaurant, unlike any other place I have been in the Greater Boston area.

The atmosphere is great, you feel like you are in a pub in Glasgow.

The food is very unique. They stick with the Scottish theme all the way through. Want a soda? It's going to be right from Scotland, no Pepsi at the Haven.

They offer some great unique beers, straight from Scotland. If you are adventurous, then The Haven gives you plenty to experiment with.

Be sure to order the Scotch Deviled Eggs, well worth it.
Aug 17, 2012
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

2/5  rDev -50.2%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 2 | selection: 2
Review from visit on May 25, 2011, added addition comments on staff.

Hipster haven more like, place is a bit of a joke ... Glad the local clientel rocks this place, best entertainment for a while. I mean how big can your ear lob be streched. Yeah. Beer list is lacking. Most of the beer sold here is old and there beer lines are dirty. From that I have no desire to order the food. Live music ... whatever. Staff on hand barely knew what beers were actually on and the first round we were not even served what we ordered. Even the gansset can we ordered was old. Really ... Come on, this is not how we should end our night.

Hope they work on the beer side ... Not worth the trek out.
Aug 28, 2011
Photo of celeriac
Reviewed by celeriac from Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +13.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I'll be brief, but I absolutely love this place. Echoing the comments of other reviewers, their beer list is modest in scale but incredibly earnest, intelligent and well chosen. A good mix of beers from Scotland, both traditional and not, and American Scottish style ales. Emphasis on low-ABV session beers, which is unusual and welcome. Pricing is very reasonable.

The food is very good across the board, everything executed with sincere care. Over the past few months I've had the steak and ale pie, the fish dinner, the mussels, a spectacular barley risotto, and the burger. The burger is one of my favorites in the city.

Where this place really gets me, though, is the comfortable neighborhood vibe and the incredible service. The owner is often tending bar and his genuine warmth, charm and enthusiasm are what take this place from very good to exceptional. A true neighborhood gem.
Feb 04, 2011
Photo of morebeergood
Reviewed by morebeergood from Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Decided to try this place out Sat night with joshman and our ladies. Walked in to a packed house. We were greeted by a nice host with a Scottish accent and fedora. He told us about the wait time, which we were expecting. Then he showed us to the bar and made us feel at home. Dimly lit room. Lots of cool Scottish newspaper clippings everywhere. Very cool antler chandeliers. The bar area is a bit tight, only a few seats really, but it was cozy. Grabbed a round of Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ales. Liked the beer selection a lot. You can tell the owner puts out what he wants. There were about 5-6 taps, all Scot in one way or the other. The bottle list was about 15 deep, and about 85% imported from Scotland. The host had told us 30 mins, and we were seated in 35 mins, so not bad. Our table waitress was great. Quick service, friendly, and checked in on us a lot. Oatcakes at the table are a nice touch. Started with the haggis & neeps, and the Scotch egg for table apps. Both great. I had the ale & meat pie for entree, and the ladies had burgers, and joshman had the fish. Meals were priced $10-18. We all loved the food. Had a bottle of Skull Splitter and Midnight Sun Porter with dinner; priced about $6-7 each. We ended the meal with a deep fried candy bar $5, which was an acquired taste. Everything here was spectacular - service, food, atmosphere, and unique beer selection. There is no doubt we'll be back here again soon.
Nov 28, 2010
The Haven in Jamaica Plain, MA
Place rating: 4.02 out of 5 with 11 ratings