4. Restaurants

Halfway Cafe

394 Main St, Watertown, MA, 02472
  • (617) 926-3595
  • Store is closed

Halfway Cafe Menu

  • Soups & Salads
  • Pub Pizza
  • Grille & Specialties
  • Side Orders
  • Seafood
  • Sandwiches

Healthy Meal suggestions for Halfway Cafe

  • Soups & Salads
  • Pub Pizza
  • Grille & Specialties
  • Side Orders
  • Seafood
  • Sandwiches

Visit below restaurant in Watertown for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( F05 Arsenal Mall,485 Arsenal St )
Burger King ( 485 Arsenal St )

Visit below restaurant in Watertown for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( F05 Arsenal Mall,485 Arsenal St )
Burger King ( 485 Arsenal St )

  • Ryan H.

    I had a great grilled cheese and they a mound of French fries. I loved how I could customize my sandwich and it was very reasonably priced. I will definitely be back! Added bonus is they give you endless popcorn

    (4)

  • Rob M.

    My girlfriend and I came here a few months back because of their Phantom Gourmet review and we were unimpressed. The service was great and very friendly but the food was subpar. I heard this place was known for great wings and that's what attracted me. They are pretty small and overall chewy rather then crispy. The buffalo sauce was pretty good though. My girlfriend got steak tips and that's why I went from 3 to 2 stars. They arrived way overdone and at the same time cold. I don't even know how that is possible. Her veggies were also underdone and cold when served. Needless to say, we won't be back. And after several disappointments, I'm beginning to question phantom gourmet's suggestion.

    (2)

  • Janelle G.

    Food was decent. We got the sampler trip with fried pickles, onion rings, and honey BBQ boneless wings. Boneless wings were so good! Service was excellent. Lots of beer on tap (cider too) and a full top shelf liquor bar. Saw these advertisements while there: Monday and Tuesday kids eat free and stump trivia on Thursday nights. Gluten free options are available. If you like keno, they have it here. Also, several TVs are in the bar and seating area with various games going (mostly college football on Saturday).

    (3)

  • Rachael L.

    It's a good neighborhood bar where the atmosphere is light and fun. The food could use some help but it's one of our neighborhood favorites.

    (4)

  • Marissa L.

    I'm not from the area but when I moved here I felt this bar/restaurant was super welcoming. Sunday's have half price wings I ALWAYS go for the buzz. Very friendly staff, always accommodating.

    (5)

  • Andrea D.

    $5 BURGERS ON MONDAYS! That's what I was told by my friend... So my grandmother and I gave this place a try last night. Maybe it was the fact that it was a crappy day (rainy, cold, dark) but the atmosphere here was not warm and welcoming. In fact my grandmother and I never took our coats off throughout our short mealtime in the cramped corner booth. It definitely looks like this is more of a watering hole for whatever "regular" clientele it attracts. They didn't have hot coco late so I got a tea to warm up.. We both ordered burgers - service took about 15 minutes to make time -- but also 15 minutes to take our order in the first place and it wasn't that busy. I was dreading the burger because I was not feeling the place at all but the burger ended up being delicious. Really a substantial portion for a whopping $5. I added blue cheese for .79 and that was also great. You can substitute sweet potato fried at no cost. I probably won't be back here but the burger was delicious and cheap... So in a pinch on a Monday I could do it again, but if you're looking to feel comfortable, warm and welcomed this is not the place.

    (3)

  • Kate L.

    A for service. A for Thursday night trivia where all are welcome to play even just for a laugh. The food not so much. Yes their bone in and boneless wings are yummy. But the chili I ordered neglected to mention in the description that it's made with pork and topped w bacon! For someone avoiding these foods I was kind of annoyed. Instead I ordered the turkey burger which I'm pretty sure was frozen. Super nice bartender but wouldn't go back for food.

    (3)

  • Bill Z.

    I've been here with friends who do the pub trivia occasionally. I don't know how busy this place is normally on weeknights, but tonight, for the holiday week and trivia, it was standing room only. As soon as we found space to sit, we were greeted with menus and given a small bowl of popcorn. The popcorn was unbelievably salty and slightly burnt. I noticed very little popcorn came out the rest of the night and no one used the machine, so maybe it was broken, or they ran out of popcorn. They were also out of at least 1 of their regular beers (listed on a board on the wall). Food and drink are served pretty fast. It's standard pub food. I feel the appetizers are a better deal, the portions seem more generous, especially the onion rings. I think you can watch TV here. I counted at least 16 of them, and a few more running Keno. I think this place has the most TV per square inch of wall I've ever seen. They run Stump Trivia here. Their regular hostess (an acquaintance of mine) was out ill tonight, and she's a fun person in general. Her substitute was certainly full of himself. For a relatively small, crowded space, the acoustics here were really good. This place serves a good quantity of fun.

    (3)

  • Sindy T.

    Ordered a pizza from the late night menu and got a grilled tortilla with sauce and cheese on it, I was so upset so I called them and asked what happened and was basically told that "that's their pizza" and "why did I order it". I had gone there before and ordered a pulled bbq chicken wrap but the chicken was cubed dry chicken with a bunch of onions and peppers in a skinny sauce. This is what you get for giving a place a second chance, I don't see what all the hype is about the customer service that I got was rude and "sugar coated" by "ok honey"

    (1)

  • Beth H.

    I love you because you have free popcorn for me! I love you because your boneless wings are fricken' delicious after spending 3 hours at the nearby climbing gym! I love you because on Monday nights you currently have $5 burgers. I love you because your staff is warm and friendly and down-to-earth (and because you have a wicked cute bah-tend-ah [that's how you compliment men here in Mass, right?]). I love you because my group of friends can always find room inside your four warm walls. I love you because your food is surprisingly excellent for a chain restaurant! Fried pickles? Yes, please! Gooey nachos? Mmhmm! A blondie for dessert? Bring it! I love you because you're not over-priced. I love you because parking is usually abundant -- except during the summer when there are apparently a lot of Monday night co-ed softball games around Watertown that end around 9pm. Is there anything that I don't I love about you, Halway Caf? Yes; your lumpy bumpy parking lot. Re-pave that ish, yo! (but dont worry I still lerv you)

    (4)

  • Heather V.

    The Halfway Cafe goes all the way. They have your standard bar food, but at a whole other level. We went to check it out because we were told about a half pound hot dog. We didn't order it but had seen it when someone else ordered it, it was very big and we almost wished we had ordered it. Instead my boyfriend ordered a burger so big even he couldn't finish it. I had a swish chard ravioli, it was unique and different, I'm not sure I would order it again because the burgers were so perfectly cooked. You get a lot of food for a very fair price. We had the sampler trio and almost didn't make it to the main course. The wings were great, they were spicy and sweet, and a little crunchy. fried pickles were not for us, but they were the only time I had ever tried them and the batter stayed around the pickle and didn't fall off. The staff made our experience great, they were always available to answer questions or bring more sauces. They were very friendly.

    (4)

  • latrice b.

    So here's the thing... Service was good; our waitress was really sweet and was knowledgeable about the menu. Per her recommendation I got the buzz wings and potato skins. It's was blahhhhhhh. The food wasn't seasoned and the wings didn't have flavor. I was really disappointed. Not sure if it's just the wings that are mediocre or if I will have the same scenario with other menu items. We shall see My friend had the turkey tips and was pleased and fries were delicious... this is why I am giving this place 3 stars.

    (2)

  • Kelly F.

    After a long day of family holiday parties my boyfriend and I went here looking for a drink; we found great wings, and a nice bar to go to in the future. The food was delicious, staff was good(they share responsibilities so there is very little to be missed) and the place is clean compared to some of the other locations that I have been to. Unfortunately, we tried to go back here on a weekend night and it was so packed that we couldn't get any parking so we left. If you drive there, enter the parking lot with caution, very easy to bottom out a car because there seems to be a pothole at the entrance.

    (4)

  • Natasha S.

    I've been here twice. Lots of "regulars" here. We happened to drop in when they were having their annual Christmas party. They raffled off gifts and had Christmas music playing. It was awesome! Steak tips are not marinated - seemed like they coated them with sauce. But they were still pretty good. & If you order the mozz. stix, be sure to specify that you want marinara with them, as they do not automatically come with sauce. Decent draught beer selection. Service is great -- our waitress was super sweet and attentive. She checked in multiple times and never left us with an empty glass. Cozy atmosphere and overall pleasant experience. Will definitely go back.

    (3)

  • Lauren B.

    This place is great! The grilled chicken sandwich is fantastic and the selection of beer is never disappointing. The service is amazing as well, especially Jen the bartender =)

    (5)

  • Lynn J.

    The change that's not a chain... There's more than one of these, But it feels like a mom and pop place! STAFF: treated me like I was a regular, knowing it was my first time here... smile. FOOD: I love the comfort food... Bread bowls, fried chicken, beef stew... But they also offer lots of healthy options. CHOICES: you can build your own burger, and you can build your own grilled cheese too. The deal: on a budget? Order a dish from there rotating 8 deals for only 8 dollars section!

    (4)

  • C L.

    My son & I stopped by today for a late lunch/early dinner. Enjoyed a delicious burger with great fries - and only $5 Thank you halfway cafe. Question: my rewards card would not work, originally signed up in Marlboro. When will they combine restaurants?

    (5)

  • Jake L.

    I'm done with this place. Used to be great food at really great prices. Not sure what happened but the food keeps getting crappier and the prices keep going up. I paid like $9 for a grilled cheese and didn't get tomato on it, because that was another buck. The people are usually nice, so that's a plus, but like I said the value that used to be there is gone gone gone. Now you leave feeling kinda ripped off. You can get way better food for a lot less at a Friday's or 99. Wouldn't bother with this place. (free popcorn is ALWAYS stale, btw!)

    (1)

  • Steve X.

    What can I say? Everyone knows Halfway Cafe. Everyone has been here at least once. I go to the one in Watertown and I love it. Pub food at its best. Burgers are great. They have daily specials at fair prices. The service is always good. How can you not like this place? They have pub grub down pat.

    (4)

  • Dawn E.

    This PARTICULAR Halfway kind of blows. As chains go, I'm a fairly big fan of this local Massachusetts chain, but this particular location is disorganized when busy. There are too entrances and no real defined "front" of the place. On a busy night, it's hard to figure out who's hosting or if there's a table. Food comes out pretty quick but the portions are scantier than other locations. Service is erratic. Sometimes it's spot on and other times you're waiting 40 minutes for the check.

    (2)

  • Jackie W.

    Halfway Cafe was once a terrific place to grab a bite to eat. There's a location in Dedham that my family used to go to often but all Halfway restaurants have recently changed their menu AGAIN! And that's after a previous change no too long ago. They took away the safari hot dog which was one of my father's favorite items on the menu. However, that's not the reason for my negative review of the Watertown location. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it started off fine as we ordered drinks. We soon realized that they no longer served safari dogs and that this was a VERY recent change. The waitress saw how disappointed we were and when the next patrons came in they informed them of a new menu but failed to do so with us. It was very disappointing and terrible customer service. I ordered the cranberry chicken which was basically cranberry sauce and grilled chicken in between a soggy roll. My mother had fish which was good but the portions were terrible. My grandfather ordered the club burger and enjoyed it. My father ended up just getting fries which were decent but nothing great, The service was terrible. At the end of the meal, she forgot to give my grandfather his leftovers that took her nearly 10 minutes to wrap up. We had to go back in for it. I was shocked at our experience because we had great experiences at Halfway in Dedham over the years but the recent continuous menu changes and poor service at their Watertown location has soured us on this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Ellen W.

    Got the fried pickles to share and the Farmhouse burger on Texas toast (pork belly, fried egg, sharp white cheddar). I don't usually find fried pickles in many places near Boston/Boston suburbs, but these were pleasantly crispy and tasty. The burger was huge, well-cooked, and not overly greasy, but it could have used more pork belly. There was only one small slice that barely covered half of the burger patty. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the burger. One thing I really did not like was the fries--they were soggy and not particularly flavorful. If you can switch to a different side, that would probably be a good idea.

    (3)

  • Christian S.

    Great neighborhood spot! My fiancé and I go here often and always leave satisfied. The popcorn they give you when you sit down at the table is a big hit with us, but you also can't go wrong with the food. My fiancé usually rotates between the chicken kabob salad and the turkey tips...I've yet to hear a complaint. I tend to go with either a burger or one of the sandwiches. My typical go to is the double h chicken sandwich (there version of buffalo chicken). I would definitely recommend.

    (4)

  • Jessica C.

    My experiences here have always been.. "meeehhh." The food is average, nothing special on tap, and the service is a-ok. I think I will have to order a few more food options before I am swayed towards a 4 star review. No complaints, just haven't had my socks knocked off yet!

    (3)

  • Shawn M.

    Went tonight with my wife and a friend. We were interested in trying the new fall menu. As far as "going out for a quick bite during the week" goes, Halfway doesn't disappoint. We split the nachos for starters. Well cooked, plenty of toppings and cheese, no complaints. My wife and friend both had the cheeseburger club, they were very happy. New to the fall menu was the buffalo chicken mac and cheese. This is what I had. Very hot, very cheesy, lots of chicken. Needless to say I was satisfied. All in all you can't go wrong with Halfway. We'll return soon.

    (4)

  • Rich R.

    The food seems to have dropped off here. I typically came in every other week for lunch during work. I stopped going because a few months back the food quality dropped off. The usual good bergers were not cooked right.....the wings were over cooked. I dont know if they changed management or the chef or what. This place is not as good as it used to be. I will note the the servers are great ....they are always nice and took care of me.

    (1)

  • Michael B.

    Stopped in the Halfway on Saturday for lunch with the boys. Our waitress, who also was tending bar, was surprisingly attentive despite pulling double duty during the busy lunch hour full of regulars and first timers like myself. After the manager informed us that there was a slight delay with their POS ticket system, our food arrived and was worth the wait. The turkey club was packed full of tender, sliced turkey not deli meat. The boneless chicken tenders, fried pickles, and turkey tips were very good. Even the side salads were cold and crisp. We enjoyed the food and the abundant TVs enabling the viewing of the Olympics, college basketball, and even a Japanese baseball game.

    (3)

  • Christine T.

    Halfway gets 4 stars for unexpected perfectly cooked broccoli. This location is quite good and is always popping. It is a sports bar, so it's loud and the TVs are always on. The complimentary popcorn is crap, but the food is delicious, i mean seriously, perfectly cooked broccoli, crispy fluffy french fries, giant delicious turkey club, tasty tasty steak. Good friendly service and an interesting publication that has their menu. I don't know if all locations have it but the Watertown location is very homey and welcoming.

    (4)

  • Jeff D.

    I don't think I've ever eaten here, but they have 10-12 beers on tap and usually have some interesting choices. The service is solid and they have PBR on tap. Plus, they give you free popcorn if you sit at the bar. Can't beat that.

    (4)

  • C. M.

    I absolutely love this place. They recently make some changes inside that allows for more seating. I find halfway cafe to be very family friendly. The waitresses are all great. I love how they all work together and help each other's tables. I absolutely love their cafe sauce. I have had both on my steak tips and my boneless chicken. It is unbelievably delicious. This is in general a great place to grab some lunch, dinner, or even just a few drinks!

    (5)

  • Alex C.

    This place is great. Really nice servers and bartenders. A ton of TVs to watch games. The food is excellent too. Really good quality ingredients that take bar food to a level far above the normal. I have tried: The buffalo chicken sandwich Wings Safari Dog Chili Nachos Burgers Each time i go back I have such a hard time deciding on something new to try because everything is awesome. Do yourself a favor and try this place next time you are looking for a new place to have a drink and some food.

    (5)

  • Bonnie M.

    We live in Watertown, felt like going someplace close and close this place despite the crappy reviews on yelp. It's not terribly busy and service/attention is a bit lacking. If you want a neighborhood feel this isn't it. Trying to figure out if our waiter with the perfectly slicked back hair is oblivious or simply ignoring us. Good fries but the ambience sucks. Go to Donahues or tommy Doyle's.

    (2)

  • Tahleen S.

    I love this place, even if they do keep changing their menu and deals. This one recently renovated their bar area, and it's much nicer inside, I think. The staff is always friendly, though our favorite waitress who knew us as regulars has since left. There's a decent beer selection, and prices are good. There's a lot of comfort food on their menu, and their Cape Cod Reuben is my favorite--I'm actually getting hungry just thinking about it.

    (4)

  • N P.

    Great place. The staff is unbelievably friendly and attentive. That alone makes a huge difference. Fun, good food, good beer selection.... And did I mention the friendliness of the staff???? :-)

    (4)

  • Paula P.

    The worst....had fried clams that had come from frozen clams. Tasted like you were chewing rubber band. I would have preferred rubber bands. At least they would have flavor. ..ok. So 12.99 for 1 pound of steamers . This always was a neighborhood bar with really good food. Now they have changed the inside and upped the prices for really bad food...never again will I go there and I wouldn't suggest that anyone else does

    (1)

  • Christina K.

    Obsessed with their buzz wings. Always have good music playing. Out if all the times I have gone , I've only not been pleased with the mussels they had on the menu. However I can look past that.

    (5)

  • Bill S.

    Hard to rate because I like the food, staff and service at the Canton location, and I was going to bring the whole family over there for my birthday but when I sent an email about why I didnt get a coupon for the free birthday meal I've been getting for years, marketing person told me I was out of luck, new system coming in a few months that would have that back again, but for now, I was out...seemed kind of silly for her to for go a $60-$70 tab to make a customer happy with a $10 comp. I asked about a rain check, but she never responded to that. Left a bad taste to get dropped like that, so we went to Clydes, had a great meal. Perhaps I'll come back,.... perhaps.

    (2)

  • Mark S.

    The Halfway Cafe is awesome! Its basically a localized Ground Round except not ghetto and crappy. Food is standard American fare but done solidly. This location recently revamped the bar area and the whole place feels much larger and open now. Trivia on Tuesdays is great too! Wonderful place for a simple date night, a family of 4, or a single person eating at the bar.

    (5)

  • Karis T.

    Halfway Cafe seems to have changed their menu and decided to go for a health conscious focus. While this is lovely in general, I don't go to a pub to have healthy food. If I want to eat a healthy meal, I'll probably make it at home where I can control the ingredients and process. If I'm eating at a pub, I probably want to "indulge" in something that really yummy, but not necessarily extremely healthy. I was so bummed to learn the pub pizzas are just gone from the menu!

    (2)

  • Emily F.

    Turns out, sometimes the bartenders only know you by face (haha). Lunch and beers on a Sunday, nice and quiet, plenty of TV to watch. I got all you can eat wings, but barely cleared a plate, though I thought they were good (spicy)... I had just filled up on beer.

    (4)

  • Damien S.

    One of six exo-Boston locations, it's the most tightly knit local chain you've never heard of. Take a Ninety-Nine, turn down the menu, the seating space, drink prices and the lights, and add a ridiculous Buzz sauce that gives Gold Fever a run for its money. End result? The Halfway Cafe. Seems the super-salty, complimentary popcorn has lovers and haters, so upon this 2D rack, I proudly hang my hat on the Heart icon. Boneless wings are plump and juicy, with a sticky spicy Buzz sauce crust that almost mimics a fragile candy apple. I'd likely describe it as a very mild Korean style fried chicken, if I'd ever eaten the latter. Sit on that one, M.C. Escher. Completely mystified how a Harpoon IPA, Whale's Tale, Coors Light and a tall vodka soda totaled a ridiculously reasonable $15, but mine is not to wonder why. Mine is but to eat that stupidly addictive chicken and ponder their Red Robin principle of bottomless fries with any meal that comes with fries. You may want to step aside; there's a herd of fat kids heading right for us.

    (4)

  • Steph M.

    We have been going here for years! It's always been pretty good bar food, but what makes it stand out is the variety in options and portions sizes for their burgers and entrees, which you don't see everywhere. The drinks are great as well, and prices are very reasonable.

    (4)

  • Barbara A.

    Wow - 12 tvs and 2 keno screens. If you want to re-live the 80's via food and music or you miss the "Ground Round" (ie salty, stale popcorn) this is the place for you. I don't sit at the bar when I come because I am usually with the kids so we sit in the dining room. Today it was hot outside and there was no one there when we got there (loads when we left). A dirt lot is for parking and although glad they have a place when it rains it is muddy or when you are trying to leave the bottom of the car hits the ground from all the extremely large divets - coming out fo the lot is difficult at rush hour from the light and those going into or thru Watertown sq. Maybe need to park on the street going the opposite direction. The wait staff seems nice enough but not very attentive. I waited for a good 5 minutes (in an empty establishment) for 4 waitresses to tell me I could sit anywhere. They did come back and ask if everything was ok, but then did not see them until about 15 minutes AFTER we were already done. I have had the teriyaki steak tips, rays way (the smaller, lighter version which is nice if you are with someone who needs to watch what they are eating) and it was very good. Today, we had the sampler platter which is ample -- nachos, potato skins, mozarella wedges, buffalo chicken tenders and sauces. My only complaint is that it needs to be a larger plate - the plate was too small for all that stuff and although I don't care if my food touches (or gets hot sauce on my potato skins) the 2 other people with me did. The kid's meals are a good size and if your kid is not a pre-teen, it should be enough. They have decent meal deals - eat free on your birthday, 7 menu items for $7 and the kids eat free on Monday/Tuesday with each adult meal and, although forgot to ask about it today, sometimes they have the half off appetizers before 5 p.m. If I were alone, I would not come here to eat (maybe come sometime to experience the bar), but I have a picky-eater and he sometimes asks to come here, so I do. All-in-all not a fan.

    (2)

  • Allison R.

    A lunch catch-up/trash our old jobs meeting led me to the Halfway Cafe. A few minutes early, I call my lunch date to find out if I'm really supposed to park in the gravel pit/parking lot behind the restaurant. Yes. There is a luncheon specials menu, and a "7 for $7" menu, too. The gnocchi, shrimp mac n cheese, and asian style pork tips all sounded intriguing but potentially disgusting, so I settled on the turkey burger. It was overcooked, but not terrible. The fries were crispy and okay. We were offered free popcorn (can't turn that down!) by our friendly waitress, I think her name was Jen. I'd give this sketchball divey restaurant another star for her friendliness, but I wouldn't want you thinking the food was that great.

    (2)

  • carol l.

    Ordered food that came to $10 and change. Signed the receipt with the correct total. Halfway charged my credit card $26.73?!?! Dishonest establishment. Will not be going back.

    (1)

  • Cathy Y.

    The worst turkey club and French fries that a restuarants has ever offered me. My kids Mac and cheese was straight out of a Kraft box, my other kids turkey sandwich came cold on multi wheat bread and nothing else, bone dry. Husband's fish and chips pitiful. Couldn't wait to get out of the place and certainly will never be back

    (1)

  • Joseph S.

    Went to this restaurant & bar about two months prior to this review and I had a wonderful time took my mother and girlfriend at the time I ordered a shrimp dish and a Sam Adams beer from their tap. I was not impressed to start but this is one of my first restaurant that I have reviewed in which I will return to in the future. The server was very friendly and knew her menu well was not as familiar with the bad though made her have to think about what she had to serve. I give this restaurant a 4.5 out 5 rating which is the highest rating I have given to a restaurant since I have picked this hobby up. Shrimp cooked to perfection nice color on the shrimp, the veggies were cooked well with a little crisp but soft enough you did not need a knife. Try this place out.

    (4)

  • Burger G.

    Man this place gets swamped. Really with people and the parking lot collects water like the gulf. DEEP PUDDLES. On point bar food. From freezer to fryer to friend kind of stuff here. The burger selection is decent and the quality of burger is predictable here. Some days average some days good but never poor. Staff is attentive but not smothering. Bartenders seem energetic enough and MOSTLY friendly. Hit this place over john Brewers for sure. And hey guys, the remodel looks amazing. Much more open and updated. Check out the fried pickle chips. Enough for two or three people but double up on the spicy sauce, you'll end up asking for more of it anyway.

    (3)

  • David M.

    Brought a bunch of buddies for Boys night and had a great time! We started in the dining room having great meals, my burger was cooked just the way I wanted it and fries VERY TASTY!!!!!!!!!!! Went to the bar after and found it very friendly and the bartender attentive

    (4)

  • Christopher M.

    The Halfway Café is the kind of place I'd go when I need to eat and don't necessarily care what or where. The Café helps to facilitate this with a kitchen that's open until 12:30am. However, be wary of the late night bar crowd - to call them sketchy would be a gross understatement. The food at Halfway Café is reliably mediocre pub fare, with a menu full of burgers, pizza, fish & chips and a plethora of fried foods. The staff is phlegmatic; I think I saw a group of Washed Up Diner Waitresses Anonymous meeting in the back. The facilities are well used, and the dining room looks to have been decorated by a drunk 13 year old. The nylon beer banners and replica sports memorabilia hung crooked across the walls are offset by an army of Phantom Gourmet paraphernalia strewn about the building. But I'm SURE the Phantom's reviews of Halfway are completely objective. Also, a note on the "Free Popcorn." It's dry and stale, and the bowls are filled by waitresses who I'm sure not wash their hands regularly. You couldn't PAY me enough to eat that stuff. So in summary, if I need to eat and there is only one option available, the Halfway Café will sufficiently fill my stomach. However, I'd never go out of my way to eat there. If you actually care about your dining experience, I'd highly recommend you go just down the street to Not Your Average Joe's instead.

    (2)

  • Brittney S.

    Eh. We were in that starving state of hunger when a rubber tire would taste amazing, and we were really underwhelmed. Okay, but not memorable. I already don't remember what we ordered.

    (3)

  • Stephanie H.

    I love you Halfway. I really do. It's our place to go for dinner and a beer. I beg of you. PLEASE bring back the old menu. I hate the new one. I've been there several times since you changed it and I really do hate it. Normally on a low key Friday night our first thought would be to go to the Halfway for a beer. I still love the people and the atmosphere, but this Friday, I just wanted to go somewhere else where I could actually get something I like. I can't even just order a default plain grilled chicken sandwich because you took that and my favorite veggie burger off the menu. And yes, I've tried your new black bean burger. And it's terrible. And I love black bean burgers. Trust me, this one is terrible. I'll give you the three stars for the service and atmosphere, but I don't think I'll be going back for dinner as often anymore.

    (3)

  • matt m.

    I used to live around the corner and came here at least once a week and sat at the bar (always) for a few reasons: the staff- a few stragglers from the old crew are still around- yeah Jen! Love the pizza- good south shore bar pie. Cheap draft beers and burgers, good specials. I'm a bit farther away now but try to get back when I can. And no, THEY DIDN'T EXPAND THE DINING ROOM INTO THE SPACE NEXT DOOR! :)

    (4)

  • Patrick O.

    Wonderful place. Food is always great, waitresses are fast and friendly, though it is constantly busy, never need to wait more than 10 minutes. And you cannot beat the 7 for 7. Trivia there is a blast. Bartenders are willing to put on any game you want. Men's room is always spotless, unlike a lot of restaurants in the area. great prices, tons of parking, great location, definitely a first choice when I want a casual night out with some pub fare.

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    I've driven past Halfway Cafe tons of times, and I've been meaning to try it out since it was mentioned in Beantown Bloggery. Today I finally stopped in for lunch and it was awesome. I didn't read any yelp reviews before going, it was just a spontaneous "oh yea, I've been meaning to try this place so let's go" type deal. What I expected was standard pub food. What I got was a new favorite place. Middle of the day Wednesday - lunch. We walk into what seems like a typical sports pub (I love pubs, by the way). It was pretty quiet, but from the moment we sat down and had a big bowl of free popcorn plopped on the table, it was obvious that lunch was going to be epic. My friend and I both ordered off of the 7 for 7 menu. There were signs for it everywhere, but we had to wait for the waitress to explain because no details were giving on the menu or anything. Apparently they have this menu of 7 entrees that cost $7. The 7 for 7 menu changes every month. You might be thinking that this is strictly a soups and sandwiches, cheapy type menu - hell no. I got an amazing (and filling) riblet plate and my friend got this tortellini thing (i have no idea what it was, but he loved it and it filled him up). On top of that, the fries are "endless" - definitely didn't need a fries refill though. I think drink refills are also free, but I'm not sure because I got water. I can definitely say that the water was free though. We weren't there to drink, but I took a look at the beer list and drink menu anyways. Cheap beer! Woohoo! I think PBRs were $1.75 and then Coors light, Buds, Bud Light, and some others were $2.25. So let's tally this up: Awesome food, good prices, free popcorn, endless fries and drinks (i think), cheap beer, good location, and friendly service. 5 stars, easy.

    (5)

  • Sue J.

    the BEST honey BBQ boneless wings around. These could make a girl break her diet! :-) The food is Really good for pub food and so cheap. I love this place. The burgers are great also. the only thing I wish they had and this is only a personal thing is ( sweet potato fries) but otherwise. can't complain!!

    (4)

  • Bobby H.

    Tried this place out for the first time as it is right down the street from my house. After reading some of the other reviews on here it seemed like a decent place to grab a bite to eat on a lonely sunday night. I was right. The place is kinda small, but not sooo cramped that ya feel claustrophic. The waitstaff are all very friendly though I must say not the most attentive I've ever been served by. They didn't offer to refill my drink till I was done with my meal. And then it took another couple minutes for them to get me my check. The food itself was pretty good. Nothing spectacular but worth how much it cost. Which was about average for pubfare between 7-10$ for most things on the menu. Overall I will probably come back to this place due to it's convienience but I dont think I would go out of my way for it.

    (3)

  • J T.

    Used to love the place and stop in for dinner/drinks every couple of weeks, but the new menu is so bad I haven't been back in 6 months. It's really too bad, nothing on the menu (besides the wings) come remotely close to what they used to have. At least bring back the pizzas!

    (2)

  • Bill M.

    When one goes to out to eat, you generally have a few feelings after you finish. You are either still hungry, not hungry, pleasantly full, or feeling bloated. This was a feeling bloated kind of place. This isn't to say that the food wasn't tasty, it was, but the food is heavy, and that can lead to feeling overfull. So overfull in fact, that this morning my girlfriend and I didn't eat breakfast, because we were still not hungry from the food the night before. This was actually the second time we've been at the building, the first time it was jammed packed and we didn't feel like waiting for a seat. Last night we got in and got a seat right before a rush happened. They gave us popcorn to start while we wait. Shockingly enough they asked for ID for alcohol. While my girlfriend didn't have her ID with her, we were actually cool with this, because hey, it's a place of business, and they want to make sure that they aren't serving minors, I give them props for that. We started with the sampler platter. We got our chicken tenders with buffalo sauce. Their chicken tenders are really like boneless wings as they have just deboned the two parts of the wing and kept the meat locked together. They were pretty good. The Potato skins were so so. The mozzarella sticks were okay, and the nachos were, well, there. My girlfriend got the spicy pineapple wings. A single serving was either 6 tenders or 11 wings. Looking at the size of the tenders, and the wings, if you want more for the money, get the wings. She thought it was good, though it could have had more pineapple in the flavor. I got a burger and fries. It was charbroiled, but honestly I couldn't tell until about the last bite of the burger. I was expecting a little bit more. The services was pretty good (though I believe I was given a diet coke instead of a regular coke in my refill). We have other places to try while in the area, but we didn't leave the place thinking "OH MY GOD We have to come back!" we left the place thinking "Thank god we are walking cause how rich the food was is not a pleasant sensation" and talking about other places we would want to try before going back. So, for bar food, to say split an appetizer or two with it is fine. Just realize that if you eat beyond that, you might be paying for that with your appetite later.

    (3)

  • Mike D.

    I'll come here for lunch/dinner and trivia nights on Tuesdays. Great environment, awesome beer selection, and friendly staff. Food is better than comparable American restaurants. They always serve complimentary popcorn which is awesome.

    (5)

  • Morgan R.

    My roommate and I came here looking for a low key place in Watertown to eat and drink and this place is just right. It's pretty small inside, they have a full bar. The menu is pretty basic but I've been twice now and both items I ordered were good. Definitely a good place to come and watch a game because they have a ton of TV's. They also have parking too which is refreshing. A pet peeve of mine is when places have drink menus and don't have half of the drinks listed on the menu. Someone I went with tried to pick 3 or so beers before they actually had one she wanted- if you don't have it, take it of the menu; pretty simple. It seems like they don't adequately staff the place, both times I went I had to wait too long for certain things and the servers were working there butts off so it wasn't that they were lazy. The staff is friendly, just spread too thin. They also have a trivia night if that's your thing- I think it's Tuesday night. Overall, it's a low-key good place to go.

    (4)

  • East West Coast Girl C.

    It was what I expected from a dive. Wine was rancid-but who drinks wine in a joint like this? They ran out of mussels at lunch. So much for heading there for the famed mussels. Steak Bleu salad was served on rotten, white lettuce. Isn't lettuce supposed to be green? Staff at the bar was concerned with their own good time...not yours. Just a bunch of clueless kids, really. (Jesse, Caitlin plus one). You get what you pay for and in this case its low cost for low quality all around. Having said that-some folks just seem to dig the whole scene so have at it. I'll be at Stellina's.

    (2)

  • Emily R.

    The waitress stole my sunglasses. Dishonest employees = bad business. Do not support this establishment.

    (1)

  • GJ N.

    Halfway Cafe wants one thing from their customers: They want you OUT. (And the next customer in.) Here's what they blast through 200 table-side speakers: . Livin' La Vida Loca . Chaka Khan, I Feel For You . Pump Up the Volume . Macarena . We Built This City on Rock and Roll . My Humps . James Blundt - You're Beautiful. Otherwise, good food, good prices, good people, good times.

    (5)

  • Mathew S.

    Stick with the traditional food...Wing Tips are highly recommended...When you step outside of the box things aren't as good. Take advantage of the rolling rock draft...Big beers for around $2

    (5)

  • Megan L.

    Half Assed Cafe. They got rid of my favorite sandwich (open faced pot roast) but are happy to provide it off the dinner menu for like $13. Wings are disgusting and so is pretty much everything I've had off the menu except for the pot roast. Once ordered beef stew and they were out, but instead of telling me, they decided to give me chicken pot pie instead. WTF? Service is effing terrible. Ignoring customers is an art form at the Halfway Cafe. Plus side: Drinks are huge and the sweet potato fries are wonderful. I will go back for the sweet potato fries but my expectations are rock bottom regarding everything else.

    (2)

  • Tom F.

    Halfway Cafe- what happened to you? The last few times I've come to your establishment the service has been exceptionally slow and your wait staff consistently forgets to bring me things. Also, your new menu is not good. Your previous menu was really good and is what kept me coming back. I am going to have to find a new favorite local restaurant now.

    (2)

  • Ariel G.

    Half way is wicked good. They serve popcorn while you are looking at their menu which is kinda nice(and salty.) Everything i have eaten here i have really liked and i have gone here quite a bit, don't know why i didn't review it earlier! my favorite is their special 'Buzz Sauce" for their bone-in or boneless wings. they also have very good burgers, and a full bar which is nice. sometimes it gets a little crowded in there but if you really hungry then you can deal. they also take orders for pick up. yummy yummy.

    (5)

  • Clyde L.

    Now NO steamers during the winter and their new pizza is only ok. Burgers and hotdogs are still good.

    (2)

  • Melissa B.

    Really? No, seriously....REALLY?!? The first few times I went to Halfway Cafe, I didn't mind it. I live in used-to-be-a-dry-city Belmont, so my local drinking options are fairly limited. Halfway Cafe is close to home, CHEAP, and well, open. Consider yourself warned that I'm not very picky. Free popcorn - Yay. +1 star Cheap drinks - Hell yeah. +1 star And that's where it ends, folks. Could I mingle with the regulars? Sure, if I wanted to catch some sort of incurable disease. Is the food palatable? Yes, if you're a fan of blandness. Do you want to be "put on notice" by the bartender as soon as you walk in the door but still served alcohol? Then I know the place for you! Seriously....if a bartender threatens to cut you off before even serving you a drink, she shouldn't be serving you in the first place. Granted, I was by no means drunk enough to be "cut off" by 10pm on a Saturday, but if you immediately ask me who's driving then tell me to take the back roads home so we don't get arrested by cops -- DON'T SERVE ME. Jesus. I would've had much more respect for her and her shitty bar had she told me and my friends to leave. But instead, she served us, treated us like shit, and overcharged us for their crappy, usually cheap drinks. Bad form, Halfway Cafe. Bad form.

    (2)

  • Elizabeth C.

    What happened, Halfway??? I'm usually intrigued by a new menu, but this one seems to have gone in the wrong direction. How many things can you put apples on/in?? The portions seem to have gotten smaller and the quality seems to be suffering. Please don't send out a salad with disgusting greens and burned chicken. Burgers dry. To quote my dinner companion, "This burger is terrible." The burgers used to be huge and juicy!! I ordered the 'chicken panini' it's not a panini. It was just weird...and really, really messy. Miss the old chicken sandwich..it was gooooooood!!! On a positive note, the staff is always very accommodating and really friendly. The Fish and chips are probably the best dish still standing and the kids love the popcorn. Hopefully, things will get better with time!! It really seems to be touch and go....

    (2)

  • Brandon V.

    Stopped in last night for a quick bite to eat while we were in the area. Ended up staying to play pub quiz (Tuesday nights 9pm I think). It's your standard Stump pub quiz. Most importantly: the wings. They use the small sized wings, and they're not incredibly fresh, but they ended up hitting the spot perfectly. The hot sauce was great - better than most in the area. Most people try waaay too hard or not enough at all to make a hot sauce - these guys found a good sweet spot. No buttery taste, and no grainy pepper stuff. They serve celery with their wings (no carrots, sad but easily overlooked considering most places around here don't even bother with celery!). Seriously, they were exactly what I needed last night, and I'm very glad that their wings did not disappoint. Their beer selection is the standard Bud-Bass stuff. Prices are not bad at all. They also have a ton of food specials that can end up saving you $$. The dining room is smallish and a bit noisy. In hindsight we should have waited the 15 minutes to get a booth on the side instead of a rickety table in the middle of the room. I'm not sure if it was legal or not, but we parked in the parking lot behind the building - that's a big plus for parking starved Brighton residents like me. Oh, and the service was great and attentive. All in all, I was wicked happy we tried 'em out. It's not fancy and a little divey, but that's fine with me. The food was decent, the ambiance wasn't unfriendly, and I will be returning soon hopefully.

    (4)

  • Ali L.

    This place is a dieter's worst nightmare, but if you know what you are getting into, it could just be heaven. Great beer selection... Pumpkin Head was awesome and they have Leinenkugal! If you are looking to practice for the Coney Island hot dog eating contest, then look no further than the Safari Dog- a 1 lb. hot dog that measures at least 12 inches long and at least 2 inches in circumference. About 30,000 calories by my untrained estimate! There is a burger option too.. and everyone will gawk at you if you eat the whole thing, which I would definitely have to use both hands to eat and it would probably take me the better half of a day. I think you get a T-Shirt if you finish this one- its that big! Their garlic fries are already pretty greasy before they put a healthy dose of garlic infused oil on top of them. You might eat 3 before you have to stop. Order the steamers- they might be the healthiest thing on the menu- and they are good!

    (3)

  • Scott Y.

    If the Halfway was listed as a bar instead of a restaurant, I definitely would have given it that fifth star. It's either a restaurant with solid family restaurant-type food, or it's a bar with absolutely fabulous pub food. Either way, the people there are incredibly friendly, the drinks are made perfectly, and the TVs are always tuned to whatever the best thing going is. I love this place. If I hadn't moved out of Massachusetts, I'd probably be there right now. Oh, and the boneless wings are so good they haunt my dreams.

    (4)

  • Mitch E.

    The place is really nice inside, I have eaten there at least a DOZEN times, However there food had gone down hill, watch out for the nasty tasting Turkey burgers , the fries had so much salt on them, i had to drink 2 waters down,. they really went down hill.

    (1)

  • Carol W.

    I've gotten food twice since the change in management, and I've definitely noticed the changes - and it wasn't for the better. Firstly, a few weeks ago, I got a take-out order of buzz wings, and we were very disappointed with it. The wings were smaller in size, and not only was there not enough buzz sauce, but also the sauce looked and tasted different from usual. Then today, I went in for lunch and ordered a burger. I was craving their fries and was disappointed to get a plate full of well-done fries that were more overcooked than I would like. I asked the waitress if this was something new under the new management, and she told me that it depends on multiple factors, including the potatoes and the oil that day, as to why they are sometimes darker. She asked if I wanted another order, and I didn't want to seem like nusance so I didn't get a new order. However, she was kind enough to have the kitchen make me a new order of fries that looked like how they used to look, like a golden fry not brown. She put them into a togo box for me. The burger itself was okay. I also got a free order of onion rings from their calendar promotion. Overall, I haven't been too impressed with the food since the change in management but at least the waitstaff are always friendly and helpful!

    (2)

  • Samantha P.

    Spending a day in this area meant we needed to find a good place to grab a beer and some lunch. After looking on yelp I found this place called "Fit-Z's". We walked there only to find that they were closed on Labor Day. Halfway Cafe was sort of across the street so we thought we'd give it a try. They were very nice when we came in, had a decent beer selection, and the menu was rather extensive and creative. I got the Burrito Bowl with carnitas and it was quite tasty. If we come back to the area I will come back to this restaurant/bar.

    (3)

  • Gwen F.

    Hmm. My experience here seems to have differed from a majority of the Yelpers here. I'd describe this place as a cramped. dive bar-y setting. The decor is a little erratic, and there are a ton of tvs broadcasting the sports event du jour. But it's a sports bar, so that's pretty much par for the course. We had great service. Our server (Tameia?) was super friendly, efficient, and made sure our glasses were never empty for long. I ordered a small pizza with buffalo chicken. It wasn't fantastic, but well, it's bar pizza. If I wanted great pizza, I'd go to Emma's (I'm just too lazy to cross the river). This sufficed. They certainly didn't skimp with the topping. I actually had to scrape some of the chicken off (though note that I'm not a big meat eater). My fellow Yelper ordered buffalo wings and actually liked them; he's usually pretty difficult to please when it comes to this sort of thing, so score one for Halfway. I've been here once, so it gets a tenuous four stars, up for further review. I plan on returning and updating this review if it seems that I got lucky tonight.

    (4)

  • Emmy S.

    Great place for a late night snack. I came here to meet some friends one night after a show. I was STARVING and just dying for a juicy cheeseburger. First off, I love when places start you off with stuff. Bread, popcorn (as they do), chips, whatever. If I'm hungry enough to spend money out, I like when there's food in front of me as soon as I sit down. Big fan. Next, the cheeseburger was kick ass. It was so good and the fries are awesome. Plus - the thing that will always top my list - great prices. Not much more to say than that.

    (4)

  • Colin N.

    After reading some of the reviews on here, I feel guilty for liking the halfway cafe! I came here a few times with some ladies from my dodgeball team to celebrate how bad we are at dodgeball. They give you 2 free cheese pizzas if you come with your team. They also have fries and boneless wings that are pretty good. Get your wings sweet and spicy "cafe" style. Famous for the Seven for Seven (seven dinners for seven dollars), there is free popcorn, good beer, booths. Aside from the popcorn on the floor, the bar is not dirty. It's well lit and a good joint. If I was stuck in watertown, I would head to the halfway cafe for a meal, beverage and directions back to cambridge!

    (4)

  • Jennifer L.

    Free popcorn, friendly staff, good prices and huge portions! The tv's are always playing some sports games, but it's not overly loud. I enjoy the friendly atmosphere. The bar always looks really busy. Sign up for their email club and get a free meal for your birthday! I love their steak tips with "buzz" marinade.

    (4)

  • Christina B.

    THE BEST BONELESS BUFFALLO WINGS AROUND-good spirits & cheer:)

    (5)

  • Roni E.

    Halfway actually has a pretty decent lunch meal. I came back in here a few months ago for one of my co-workers birthdays and we all enjoyed our meals thoroughly, so much, all of us cleaned our plates. Their lunch menu is all under $10 and they also have a menu of 7 for $7 in addition to their lunch menu. And yes there is free popcorn! While I want to bump them up a star for all this, I can't. Let's make it 3.5 but keep it 3. Mostly due to it's clientele during the evenings. It would be 4 stars for lunch and 3 for late night, so an avg. of 3.5 stars at best.

    (3)

  • Greg B.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Halfway Cafe you SUCK!!! No really, ive had a few ok experiences here- mostly getting takeout ~ I am a sucker for buffalo wings and sweet potato fries... Story time- the day that some half brained power hungry waitresses ruined a perfectly good night.... My girlfriend and I went there for dinner and drinks- both of us where very hungry and wanting to unwind... We place our order and drink while we wait- I throw back 2 beers while my girlfriend finishes her first drink- then we order another round. My girlfriend gets up to use the bathroom - and she stumbles a bit- hmmm, did it have anything to do with her heels- maybe... how about the day old cheese and ketchup on the disgusting floor, yeah maybe that had something to do with it! But no- the waitresses had already decided upon seeing her stumble on the floor that she must be hammered drunk- So they come over, set our apps down and my 3rd beer, and then look at me to inform me that she is cut off from alcohol (god forbid they tell her directly- I mean she is a 26 year old who has had one drink- she must be belligerently drunk) I don't want to sound like a booze needing alcoholic- but we didn't go out to get dinner- we went out for drinks and dinner. So tell them that we are leaving- and that im paying for my three beers and her one drink- and that they can keep the food that just arrived blah blah blah... they start bitching and moaning about how we have to pay what we ordered- I told them im not planning on eating without drinks- plus they completely offended my girlfriend by both accusing her of being drunk and by not even acknowledging her when telling me... In the end my girlfriend felt annoyed and bad (and partially at fault)... she was a waitress at another restaurant and knew that the cost could be coming out of the waitress paychecks blah blah blah... So Greg pays- we leave with a takeout tray- drive over to the 99, where they gladly serve us food and drinks for another hour. Halfway Cafe- I hate you- Mop your floors and learn some manners!

    (1)

  • Tonya S.

    This place is great when you want cheap, good food. I used to get take-out and frequent Halfway a lot when I lived down the street. I've moved since then, but Scott and I checked it out last night, since we were craving some pub food. We got the potato skins, which I think are among the best that I have ever had. I even got the $2.50 bud light which I normally don't drink....usually, it tastes like pee. But at the Halfway, it was nice and cold and frosty - delicious!

    (5)

  • James R.

    Hit this place again, today....for a little lunchie munchie action. Loved the place from before...so my bud and I headed down so he could check it out. We hit lunch just in time...as when we walked in, we were probably the 4th table there...plenty of room... However, shortly after, the place was hoppin'...and our poor waitress seemed to be the only one runnin' today...she had some help from somebody in the kitchen to run food, but she was definitely earning her keep today. I had to get the Pub Pizza again...with some pepperoni. I think I must have said I'd like a Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza...cuz somehow the Kitchen guy that was helping out came out with both a Pepperoni AND a Cheese Pizza. Before we could object, he was gone in a flash. The waitress noticed the mistake later...and boxed up the Cheese for us anyway...not chargin' us for the mistake...very cool of her, but we helped make up for the diff in the tip anyway. This pizza isn't the best pie ever, but for just about $6.50, this piping hot pub pizza is pretty good. My buddy, who is an avid pizza fan too, wasn't "quite" as impressed...but said it was pretty decent as it was fresh. We agreed that this pie might not be so good if you took it home or got it delivered. We both got the Steak Tips...he opted for the Mashed Potatoes and I got the "signature" french fries. Nothing fancy on my fries, like Chili-n-Cheese, Brown Gravy, or just Cheese...I just like mine straight up with a little salt and ketchup. Unless of course Malt Vinegar is available, which I don't think it is here. The Steak Tips were really good. I don't know what sauce they use, but it's sort of a BBQ/Teriyaki sauce...which is very tasty, but not overwhelming. The steak is cooked to your liking...might I suggest Medium...for some very tender slabs of meaty goodness. My bud wasn't crazy about his garlic-mashed potatoes. Probably not b/c they were bad, but like me, he is not crazy about garlic in his mashed potatoes either. Anyway, you'd think my bud might be sour about driving down there...having not loved the pie and not cared for his mash...but all the same, he had tried my fries and really liked them...and he commented he knew he would have loved the place, just may have ordered the wrong potato side. Our bill was a little high today...with both entrees and pies...but this place is not expensive. I'd put one $ symbol down, but I can't just order only an entree and a drink, so if you can...then yeah, you'll get outta there for around $10. Enjoy a great lunch/dinner down there some time...side it up with a drink of choice, (full bar), and watch your fave sport event.

    (4)

  • Vanilla P.

    Free popcorn, meals for $7, and wait staff from the Ukraine... This is the perfect trilogy. Hubby was in heaven because our waitress was hot and spoke with an accent, and I enjoyed all of the popcorn I could shove in my face, right before my delicious meal for ONLY $7 DOLLARS. Great place for young, middle, and old people, and there's even live music some nights. Unfortunately, the live musician was focusing a little more on his comedy act than his singing skills, which actually made his singing more funny than his stand up because he kind of sucked at both, but whatever. Warbly Elton John covers + bad Aerosmith ballads will make me piss myself from laughing so hard... pretty much any time.

    (4)

  • Julie A.

    I lived across the street from this place for 2 years and went almost every week with friends to play trivia and eat free popcorn/drink beers. You would think the waitresses there would have appreciated our frequent business. At some point I just couldn't stand going there anymore, because we were always given so much attitude for no particular reason. We always tipped, and really more than we should have been because the food there sucks. Also they have NO DESSERT, not ever, not anything. So in my book this place is crap.

    (1)

  • Melissa M.

    The best boneless buffalo wings by far! Cool crowd, fun to catch games at the bar. Most of the pub food is excellent.

    (5)

  • Kate S.

    I love Halfway! I recommend: Bud Light Drafts Boneless Cafe Wings Chilli Steak Salad Turkey Club Chicken Wrap with Honey Mustard (need to ask for the wrap) Sweet Potato Fries

    (4)

  • Beth E.

    Stopped in here on a Tuesday night to grab dinner and play trivia with my oldest friend and his wife. Showed up a little bit before trivia time, and had to wait, but not for long, before being seated in a wobbly booth (we tried to fix it but it was seemingly forever wobbly). For some reason I expected this place to be bigger, and was surprised by the limited number of tables. I ordered the steak tips with the roasted potatoes, with a side salad. It's normal for the side salad to come at an extra cost, but it seemed a little odd to me that the steak came only with the potatoes, and that ANY vegetables were extra. The steak tips were well marinated, and cooked just as I ordered. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of teams that were playing trivia for such a small place, there were a lot more than I expected. In the end we landed somewhere in the middle, in case you're wondering. Free popcorn is cool. Wasn't drinking because I was sick, so I can't comment on that. Pretty average, unoffensive, I'd go back if in the area, but I'm not going to make any special trips.

    (3)

  • Gina R.

    Definitely better to eat in the restaurant and not do take-out. The pizza and wings are really good. I could have passed on the quesadillas - a little soggy.

    (3)

  • David H.

    I haven't been here in forever! But it was the first bar I'd ever been to, and to me, this was the template of what ever bar should have been like. I'll never forget the popcorn they serve you for free! That's genius right off the bat! And they're good, too. A little buttered, but nevertheless a great snack to snack on while you wait for the cavalry to arrive. The burgers here were of a good size too if I'm not mistaken, and were damn good! I used to get a philly burger all the time. And I remember when I was 16, when I came here for the first time, my friends made a bet with me that I wouldn't go talk to one of two really cute twins at the bar area. I did. Nothing happened after that. Why am I mentioning this? Because... if you're single, I'm trying to say that good looking girls do come by here once in a while! Everytime I've gone, there have been some hotties. The only bone I can pick with this place is the fact that it's too small; finding a seat will be a little tough. But otherwise, this is the place to watch a sports game or hit on women if you're in my hometown- WATATOWN!

    (4)

  • Cara P.

    DEAR HALFWAY CAFE BARTENDER WITH AN ATTITUDE: IF YOU RING THAT COWBELL ONE MORE TIME................. You have a nice mix of locals, skanks, 9 to 5 "mature" women on the prowl, 9 to 5 young men on the prowl, cheating men, Bebe wearing women with plastic hoop earrings and knee high fringed boots, drug dealers, families, drug buyers and people who think it might be a cool place to go to for the first time An easy place to make a quick "deal"-yes the drug buying suburbia is easily able to meet the sellers of Boston at this location that is "halfway" - I swear that is where the name comes from. It is also easy to meet some sex starved over worked human and either head home or out to Boston. The bar is crackhead city. Too much going on. You can't move two steps in any direction. You don't get a drink unless you are rude or guys will move out of their lazy ass way to let you approach the bartender..PLUS, there is people eating at the bar. Also, you have to wait in the small cramped bar area before you get to your table to eat. The drinks are expensive and the bartenders will look at you like you have two heads if you order something off the drink menu or make the smallest of changes....Oh my, I asked him to add a splash of vodka....Ring the alarm!! They are the bartenders that look bothered when you ask them to do something. To see the chaos and how packed this place really is, you would think it was the latest and greatest hangout, but it really is just a place not too suburban, not too diveish and not in Boston. Hence the walks of life it attracts. The girls on staff are trying their hardest to be Hooters girls. While they flirt with their co-workers and the male patrons, I imagine what kind of hootenannies take place in the kitchen. Yup, the girls on this staff could easily be the "other" women. You can tell the staff all hangs out and commences a shitload of drama behind the scenes. You feel the tension as two of the girls, compete for the busboys attention....ouch! The only thing good here is their sweet potatoes fries. I have been twice and you are trying to probably figure out what person *I* am from the aforementioned list. Well, the first time I came I was fooled. Second time I was trapped. Oh and every time the bartender gets a like totally awesome tip, they ring a big cowbell.....I want to shove the stick he is wacking it with right up his a**! Halfway cafe is more like Halfway house as a reviewer below so perfectly put it.

    (3)

  • nick k.

    Love that they bring popcorn to the table. They always have rotating $7 specials. Sounds stupid, but they serve the "real city" cola out of the fountain, and I love it. Don't go expecting gourmet food, as it's mainly bar/comfort food, but you'll get a good meal. However, it's relatively small, so it's best to call ahead and get put on the wait list before heading down.

    (4)

  • Dave M.

    Good beers on tap, solid food, nothing special. Thats about it. Oh, free popcorn while you wait for your food. Which has been upwards of 30 minutes on at least one occasion. I'm not sure if they made us wait because we were drinking bar-ordered beer at a table and wanted us to order another round on the table's tab, but the waitress conveniently came over the second our beers got below 1/2 way and asked if we wanted another - on her tab. She made sure we knew that part. The 7-specials-for-$7 is a decent list of food, and the quality isn't bad. I'll go back once in a while just because it's convenient, and they've got a ton of TV's to watch the game.

    (3)

  • Bill B.

    This once was one of my favorite places, but the quality control in my last few visits has been dismal. Salty, overlooked tips/steaks, skunked beer, and a limited menu now punctuates this establishment. The wings are still good, but I hope they get a handle on the quality of food being sent out.

    (2)

  • Renee H.

    Ehhh....I hate the halfway cafe, but living in Watertown sometimes it is a necessary evil. I hate that you walk in and all the locals look at you like what the F%^K are you doing here? I hate that they ALWAYS get my call in order wrong, even when I double check that they got it right. I hate that the servers and bar staff have ZERO personality. I hate that I have to fend off drunk old men while waiting for my to go order (actually, sometimes they are quite amusing). I do quite enjoy the boneless buffalo wings though, quite tasty indeed! So, go here if you are in the mood for bar food and some interesting locals watching. You will not be disappointed if those are your expectations!

    (3)

  • Allison J.

    I came here with a friend who spent many a night at the bar drinking beer. He even pulled down a high school year book from a shelf and showed me a picture of himself in it. Baked scrod, steamers, beer, noise, tv's and decent food. It's crowded and casual so it's perfect to watch a game where everyone is emotionally invested. (Like the Red Sox?!) I wouldn't come here thinking you're going to get outstanding food. It's a restaurant but feels more like a bar than anything.

    (3)

  • Donna D.

    I miss my Halfway Cafe Steamers! I haven't been here is a while but when I could afford the gas for more trips to Watertown, I really enjoyed the steamers here and so did my Dad. When I went out with the girls a couple of weeks ago someone mentioned being here and it stirred the tummy emotions to want to come back for those yummy little steamer treats. Steak here was decent and I like the air popped popcorn too. You have to like the smell of popcorn to come here though since you can't miss it. Parking was always a bit of a problem because the lot is pretty small and street parking is usually scarce but the steamers were worth the effort. Great place for all generations - kids love the popcorn as well.

    (4)

  • Jeremy K.

    Halfway Cafe is spotlighted quite a bit by the Phantom Gourmet tv show and the reason is simple: it's simple & it's good while remaining affordable. Although I would never dare attempt another one of their 1 pound "safari hot dogs", there food overall there is simple and good. The only flaw I could spot is that they don't offer any deserts which is a shame. Other than that they do provide free popcorn and do have a nice beer selection. You can also watch sports games on their televisions and the waitresses are good and quick.

    (4)

  • Mark M.

    What can be said that has not already been said? The Halfway Cafe is a great place to eat, drink, socialize and play a little Keno. They truly have it all in this small restaurant on Main Street. I love their popcorn and Watertown Burger. How can you beat a burger with 2 patties, dressing instead of ketchup, letttuce, tomato and all on two pieces of bread rather than a bun? Answer: You can't. The staff is extremely friendly and the 7 for $7 is a great deal, with great options. The had the most amazing pumpkin ravioli two months ago. Go and try it. It's casual, low-key and a quick, delicious meal.

    (5)

  • Rachel S.

    Great service and food at fair prices. Halfway Cafe is a true local haunt. This is the kind of place Applebee's and Chicago Uno always tries and fails to mimic. Free popcorn is a nice way to start the meal and this joint has their own bottled root beer! My man swears by their clam strips and their french fries are hand cut, not frozen. This is a familial place. Leave your ego at the door.

    (5)

  • Annie I.

    great burgers and chicken tenders, nice trivia night, and free popcorn on football sundays!

    (4)

  • Laura H.

    I like the Halfway for a quick, not fancy dinner or lunch. I always get a burger and I am HOPING that one day, they will actually cook it the way I order it. I think that may be my only gripe with this place, rare means rare, you know a red cool center...not a light pink almost cooked-to-death center. Otherwise, the prices are great, love they have the 7 for $7, popcorn and some good lunch deals.

    (4)

  • Daigo F.

    Free popcorn! The food is yummy, definitely above average, atmosphere is cosy, and price is pretty cheap (look around for beer special, usually there are some ... like $2.25 Miller Lite Draft). I'd watch the Sox game there anytime if a friend ask. and munch on wings or tator skins and such. Or splurge on "Seven for Seven (7 items on the menu that are $7 each)" dinners... Burger is good, too, and you know what, I really don't mind those "Pub Pizza" either (I know it doesn't sound good). I even crave it sometimes, to tell you the truth.

    (4)

  • Stacey M.

    Okay, so the economy sucks right now. Your dollar will go a lot further at Halfway Cafe than it will at most bars that serve food. There are always 7 entrees that are just $7 each - in addition to the full menu. We discovered the Cafe when our baby was maybe 3 months old, they were more than accommodating to us then, and continue to be with our now 3-year old. Now, this isn't fine dining, but there are some great sandwiches, turkey tips, friendly service and popcorn to be had here. And the price is right! If you don't feel like cooking and want a cheap and low key dinner, this is the place.

    (4)

  • Jonathan G.

    This was my neighborhood bar when I lived in Watertown. Perfect mix of people: Young and old, townie and effete liberals, perfect smiles and toothless. Only one thing you need to order: SAFARI DOG. This kielbasa-esqe hot dog is so big that no plate can contain it. It droops off the ends and touches the table. I defy anyone to finish it, bun and all. This will give you a meat hangover.

    (4)

  • Roberto C.

    If pot roast could be described as heavenly, then so be it - I've been here several times before & not been overly impressed & then a lovely pot roast sauntered up to me & stole my heart. Btw, did I mention, get the pot roast?

    (4)

  • Holly M.

    The Halfway is a great spot for popcorn, dinner, beer, and trivia. Just be careful when your leaving, Watertown PD are always around. No one wants a DUI... yuck!

    (4)

  • Jeremy K.

    3 stars and thats the deal, shall we.... so i decided to break the fast with a highly anticipated trip to french fry capital of watertown, the 1/2waycafe. meh so mermer was so excited she scoped out the menu online, very exciting indeed knowing that they have veggie quesidillas woo hoo(enter sarcasm here) no fries, she let me know shed be fryjacking me later on. not too keen on that idea, but marriage is sacred and shared and blah blah blah, so she got them as expected. now we have been here before, i love the popcorn they give you, my fistulas on the other hand, well they are not going to be happy in a few days, but i suck it up. for a change they added (?) a prime burger to the menu, which was pretty good. its been a while since i was last here and at that time im not even sure if i got the cheeseburger, but from what i could tell that extra 89 cents made for a better burger (maybe?) they dont serve coke nor pepsi products so dont look around when your DC tastes weird, its suppose cause its not a DC! oh, so anyways, 3 stars, right..... so the veggie quesidilla on wifeys plate, uh right, too greasy for her to enjoy (i know, shes eating my fries, arent those....hey stay out of it, i try to understand it myself..) she did not send it back, why i dont understand, but she did let me know about her dissatisfaction on the way home :( too bad sweetie. so i like the fries, worth it alone to go, however you cant go somewhere just for that (or can you??) no you cant done

    (3)

  • Laura M.

    A little on the divey side for my taste, but they have lots of pub food, football on the TVs, sassy waitresses who call you "hon," and draft specials such that a 20 oz. pretty-good beer (I have no idea what kind, some sort of IPA) is $3. My turkey burger tasted like meatloaf. Others complained that their (beef) burgers were overdone. One girl made the mistake of ordering the salmon ("worst salmon I ever had"). The parking lot is gravel, and due to recent rains was completely flooded. Three stars because they didn't do anything wrong to my food and that giant $3 beer was crazy. I probably wouldn't suggest going back, but if you're into a very casual place to drink and grab some grub, it'll do the job.

    (3)

  • Al A.

    Cheap townie bar.

    (3)

  • Robyn L.

    When I'm craving steak tips for dinner, I think Halfway. When I'm craving a bowl of popcorn before dinner, I think Halfway -- even before the Ground Round! When I'm craving a greasy burger just about any time of the day, I think Halfway . . . or maybe Wendy's. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is a staple restaurant for me. Why it's not in my speed dial yet I do not know. One funny thing: The bar runs a straight line from the door. So when someone walks in, everyone at the bar -- everyone -- turns to look. I'm almost waiting for a big dude to open the door and hear the whole place yell "Noorrrm!" P.S. I was mildly reprimanded for slacking on my Yelp reviews. 17 days without a review!? I know, I know. . . I'm on it, Markie! ;)

    (4)

  • Rich G.

    Awesome menu, burgers are huge, fries are handcut, turkey tips are legendary and the staff are attentive and friendly. Free popcorn is always nice, 7 for 7 specials and pizza that is also very good. Plenty of TV's to watch the various games college and pro. Great spot.

    (4)

  • Abbey K.

    The atmosphere is cool in a cramped, the red sox are playing, Boston kind of way, which I liked, but I was sitting at a booth - I imagine if I was at one of the tables it would have been a little less comfy and a bit more cramped. For an appetizer we shared an order of boneless wings... I can't remember what they were called - 'Buzz' maybe? Anyway, there were red pepper flakes in the sauce... they had a little kick, but were also kind of sweet. They were pretty much incredibly tasty. My burger was okay, but my main meal was redeemed by the sweet potato fries. It's hard to find a place like this that serves sweet potato fries, so that scores big points with me, and they were delicious. I also tasted the onion rings which had huge onions and were pretty crispy - just the way I like them. I'm going with a 3 because the service, while friendly, was pretty slow. We had to wait a long time to even get our appetizer. And, I was unimpressed with the main dish.

    (3)

  • Alyssa N.

    Bravo to the bartender who manages to create a tasty margarita out of readymade mix. She was also helpful at suggesting drinks to one of my friends who could not make up his mind. I was sad that they no longer serve the Key Lime Martini that's on their drink menu.. something about no longer carrying one of the ingredients. The bar food being served around me looked pretty good, and they seem to have late night eats available (at least according to a menu I spotted). The crowd was a nice mix of people at the younger and older ends of the age spectrum. I'd go back any time.

    (3)

  • Joe R.

    Staff is friendly and nice - reasonable prices - popcorn is great. Food is definitely meza mez - not a culinary adventure that's not what it's supposed to be. A good neighborhood bar.

    (3)

  • Sean G.

    I love this place, and I've been coming here since I moved to Watertown two years ago so I've had awhile to form this opinion. The menu is a solid pub-food menu with tasty burgers and other sandwiches, interesting specials on their 7-for-$7 monthly special list, cheap drinks, and good service. I haven't liked everything I've tried on the menu (pub pizza), but there are some really tasty things on there too (boneless wings, burgers, steak-and-cheese, buzz chicken sandwich, to name a few). And the Chicken Fingers are the best I've had, anywhere. Their hand-cut fries are usually awesome (they have some bad nights; french fries are a cruel mistress), their drinks are cheap and generous, and their frequent-diners card gives you 5% back. The staff is friendly and recognized me after a few visits, and now, while I wouldn't consider myself a /regular/, they make me feel that way... I understand why some give it 4 stars, but I don't understand reviews much lower than that. My 5-star rating is obviously in context; It's not a "5-star restaurant", but IMO it's definitely a "5-star pub"...

    (5)

  • Josh W.

    Awesome cheap eats. Full menu includes pub fare, pizza, full dinners, and awesome sandwiches. Some of the best french fries around. My favorite cheesesteak in boston. Long list of even cheaper specials. One of the few dining establishments that I have been to that I am always 100% happy with the food yet leave with a shockingly low bill, drinks included. Almost always have to wait 10-20 mins to sit, completely packed if there are any sports on. My only wish is that they had more space for more seating, and continued to add more locations!

    (4)

  • Mo D.

    I want to like this place- I really do. But after 3 visits in about a year I can honestly say that I gave it a shot, and they let me down. It's not me, it's you! I love a good dive bar- my husband and I owned one for 13 years. And now that we've closed our doors we're thirsty and homeless...well home away from home less. The Halfway seemed a perfect fit for us. I like the crazy mix of personalities at the bar- the crusty-ness of the place and some of it's inhabitants. But if you're gonna be a dive you MUST be a friendly dive. The bar tender there has no personality what so ever. She served us food with this "bandage" made out of what looked like black electrical tape on her finger. She ignored us through most of our time there and rushed us to cash out when she was leaving. The waitress, who I wasn't even being waited on by, gave me major attitude for walking through the dining room to get to the ladie's room. All around the staff is consistently unfriendly and that sh#t don"t fly in a dirty joint. The FOOD- is not good at all. The steamers we got were over cooked and so loaded with garlic that they repeated on us until the next morning, and my husband got fish & chips that made us actually laugh out loud when they hit the bar. People, these things were fish nuggets, frozen pre processed fish nuggets- NOT fish & chips. The cole slaw on both of our plates had a weird petroleum taste that made it impossible to trust. The fires however were really good, so there is that. At the end of the day we spent over 70 bucks on fries and some slowly served but cold beers-

    (2)

  • E B.

    We went because it was kids eat free. The wings were ok. My steak tip dinner was not good at all and I didnt like the mashed potatoes either. My husband got the steak sandwich on the 7 for 7 menu. He didnt like it. My son loved his mac and cheese probably because it was Kraft.

    (2)

  • Geoff H.

    Love this place. They always seem to be open even in the worst weather. Can't go wrong with the wings, burgers, or salad. Love the house dressing. Right now the Sloppy Joe special is on point. Get after it!

    (4)

  • Audrey J.

    I come way too much . . . love the $7 for 7 specials every month. About 85% of the time my food is great. Every now and then I get an off dish, but in general the food here is what you expect. I love the popcorn at the table and the pink lemonade is super good. The service here is great. All the waitresses take good care of their tables and have a smile on their face. Good food, good service . . . that's why I keep going back.

    (4)

  • reese w.

    When we're in the mood for some good American, we go to the Halfway Cafe in Watertown. The food is pretty cheap, and they have a good selection of beers and a full bar. Try the sweet potato fries as a side with your entree. If you're in a rush though, the service isn't always the fastest.

    (3)

  • Alyssa H.

    Even as the foodie I claim to be, I'm not embarrassed to say that I just adore this place. No pretension, just a heaping bowl of steamers, great service, good beer selection. It is always packed, so get there early.

    (4)

  • Paul M.

    $7 dinner specials, $3 beer specials, trivia and free popcorn. The Halfway Cafe is the ultimate comfort food spot. I head across the street for their meatloaf dinner whenever I'm feeling homesick.

    (4)

  • Antonio A.

    Decent, but not exceptional. The food itself is quite decent; the Safari Dog in particular is excellent. The service is so-so; friendly but slow. The menu is priced very reasonably. This place gets packed during any local sporting event.

    (3)

  • Kristen H.

    I'm a big fan of the local halfway cafe. I love their 20 oz beer specials, their popcorn can't be beat, and the 7 for $7 give me something to look forward to every month. Not to mention their wings are great, I am a big fan of their buzz sauce, and their menu offers a little bit of everything for your pub grub needs. I wish it was bigger and had a patio, but the Halfway is a place I enjoy frequenting.

    (5)

  • Greg S.

    This is a pretty standard place, nothing really strikes me as special about it, nonetheless just about every Tuesday that I have dodgeball I'll show up here for a large pint of draft beer and hang out with my team while others participate in trivia. It's a good place to hang out but gets pretty crowded, especially on a Tuesday, never really had anything to eat except for the pub pizza one week which was ok, and they had a special on it, I think if you order three you got one for free.

    (3)

  • Robo T.

    no-nonsense pub type place with a traditional american menu that goes beyond just 'pub food'. I'm a repeat custy.

    (4)

  • Emilia D.

    Good food and atmosphere, but a little funky for my liking. Go for a good bite and good waitstaff...could use some more cleaning here and there, maybe a few new tables. I do recommend trying some of their brews!

    (3)

  • Jen and Tim S.

    This is a really easy. Mostly we pick up food there, but the dining isn't bad either. The food there is mostly pub style food: hamburgers, wings, sandwiches. The food is also really cheap compared to other places, but if you're dining in watch out... a beer could cost about as much as your hamburger.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 1:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Drive-Thru : No
    Caters : No

Categories

Burgers

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Halfway Cafe

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