This past Friday night I went with two of my favorite coworkers to the best kept secret in Brighton, Devlin's Bar & Bistro.
Devlin's is located in Brighton Center on Washington Street between two Irish pubs - Porter Belly's and Green Briar. The restaurant has three main areas: the bar, the sit down restaurant, and when the weather is warm, an outdoor patio.
The bar and the sit down side of the restaurant are separated by a wall, and have two very different vibes. The bar has a few high top tables, a few two person little tables, and several stools at the bar itself. The bar has its own menu which boasts some of the best nachos you'll ever taste in your life. They are of course no competition for the nachos at Sunset Bar and Grill up the street on Brighton Ave in Allston, but I'd still order them any day, any time. Devlin's also makes a delicious sangria, which you can order by the glass or a pitcher at a time. The sangria comes garnished with slice of pineapple, a slice of orange, a slice of lime, a slice of lemon and a cherry. YUM-O as my friend Rachael Ray would say.
On Friday nights the bar also has a DJ, but I have never seen anyone dance there. Its more about changing up the vibe for the weekend. They also have a trivia night, which I believe is Tuesday.
The sit down side of the restaurant is more quiet, has white table clothes on the tables, candles at the center of each table, and a very attentive waitstaff. Against one wall there are several large, but cozy booths. The menu is extensive and includes a wide variety of appetizers, salads, soup, pasta, pizza, and several meat/poultry/fish choices. As I am writing this I realize that I am not sure if they have dessert, which is odd, since I live for dessert. Hmmm. Note to self - investigate.
My favorite menu items in the sit down restaurant are:
1) Arugula, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad - always fresh, light on the dressing
2) Margherita pizza - delicious crust, perfect ratio of cheese to sauce
3) Tomato and mozzarella panini - this was a special, but so memorable, I have to give it some props
Devlin's always has great specials, and they are constantly changing based on whatever ingredients are fresh. They have exceptional french fries, which I always steal from whoever orders a burger.
The best feature of Devlin's, which you would never know about unless someone told you, is the outdoor patio. You have to walk to the back of the bar, and out the side door to find this magical place I speak of. Its as large as the restaurant, has both low and high top tables, it has its own bar, and a section covered by a canopy, for those needing shade from the sun or refuge from summer breezes (do those kind of people exist?). They decorate the patio with white Christmas light and have outdoor speakers playing music. The bar and the full restaurant menu are both available outdoors. I've always wanted to rent it out for a party, its just that fabulous.
Devlin's is a great place for a date, for a special night out with friends, or even to take the parents when they come to town. Devlin's is a literal diamond in the rough.
