Has a large beer selection on paper, though the first three I attempted to order were all gone. Wife tried to order sangria, which surprisingly they were also out of. The food was okay, nothing special. Service was sub-par and we were the only people in the upper portion of the restaurant. Staff spent plenty of time looking out the window for extended periods of time, or playing on their phones while the manager or owner sat at the corner of the bar on his laptop. This was the 2nd time I've been and won't be back. I'll spend my $ somewhere it's more appreciated.
(2)
Katy A.
Went on Saturday night and when we walked in and stood to be seated, no one acknowledged our group of 4. Went to seat ourselves and were chased down by a waitress who was reactant to allow us to sit in a booth for 5 when we were only a group of 4. Ordered waters while we deeded on beer and when the water came, one was delivered in a dirty glass that tasted of sour beer and soap. Gross. Tried to order beer from the extensive menu but we were told they were out of most of what was listed. Ended up with some basic porters since there weren't many options. Truffle fries were very plain with only the top layer of the serving having received any seasoning. My arugula salad from upstairs was quite good though. Annoyed to have been served in a dirty glass, and have them out of so many beers. I doubt we will be back. There are better selections and food elsewhere.
(1)
Joie S.
I feel the need to update this since I've been so many times and just really feel like lately, this place has gone way down hill. They are constantly out of beers and the service has just become downright terrible. The bartenders don't even smile at you, nevermind make any conversation or ask if you need anything. Drinks and food take forever. I'm not sure what happened but I really hope it gets better because I used to love this place!!
(1)
Paige M.
We visited English Cellar Alehouse twice. The first time we had the pretzels and fried Mac and cheese as apps. Meatloaf and pot pie for entrees and we absolutely loved everything. We sat upstairs which had a nice atmosphere.The mixed drinks were good and the bartender was extremely knowledgable about all the beers. The second time we went we got burgers and a few sandwiches. We enjoyed our experience but not as much as the first time. We definitely liked the entrees more on our first visit. Overall: great prices , friendly staff, delicious food and drinks
(4)
Sharang D.
It's a great place to hang out with your friends. They have a vast beer selection! There is a pool table in the back. The interior is pretty cool. Good for groups. Gets busy every weekend when the semester is on!
(4)
Gina C.
Came here looking for an afternoon snack and beer. The bartender suggested the White Electric stout. It was fantastic pair with the Mac & Cheese bites. All in all, a delicious stop.
(5)
Carra C.
Went here as part of RI Food Fights Lord of the Wing Tour. Fantastic beer selection. We tried 3 different kinds of wings, all very good. Also got the pretzel nuggets which were really good. Was not very busy at all and it did take a little while for our food to come out considering but our server was fine. I'll go back for sure.
(4)
Chris L.
This was a great place to go. One thing I liked is the music was not too loud that it was hard to hear your friend. The place looks like an old English pub and has a good vibe. In addition this is only one of two places that sells spitfire. Just so you know. I am not sure the prices because my friend paid but that would be one suggestion is to have prices somewhere.
(4)
Michael M.
Mediocre at best... I would honestly just go here for the beer only as the food isn't that good.
(2)
Jean F.
I love this place! A friend and I went for dinner (I had been a few times previously for drinks - they have a fantastic beer selection) and they've redone and opened the space to create a better flow. It used to be very much just a pub but now there's a more extensive menu, more servers and they've opened a sister restaurant upstairs and have created a staircase between both restaurants. So, we went for dinner and were told we could order off either restaurants menu. That opened up my food choices from the pub sandwich/burger to all sorts of tapas, pizzas and different entrees. I ended up with the tuna carpaccio pizza and my friend got the lobster mac n' cheese. My pizza was delicious. The tuna was super fresh and of great quality and the pizza (for a mere $8) was a very decent size. My friends lobster mac ($16) she said was good but I was shocked by the size. Enough for dinner, but don't think you're going to take home leftovers. It was shockingly small for a dinner size portion. The service was okay, not amazing but I've certainly experienced worse. I think they'll figure out the appropriate wait staff situation soon and that will get worked out. All in all I think both the English Cellar Alehouse and upstairs newby Coco Pazzo are wonderful additions to the hill and I look forward to returning.
(4)
Sarah T.
I have been meaning to write this review for a few months. My boyfriend and I made the biggest mistake eating here. So, we walk in and take a seat. The server comes over and tries to take our drink order. I tell her I need a few to decide which beer I want and we order waters. Finally, she comes back and we decide to put in an appetizer and at the end I open my mouth to tell her which beer I want, but she walks away instead. Aggravated, I decide to stick to my water, since this girl is young and seems very inexperienced and unhappy. Before arriving, my boyfriend and I had viewed their menu online. I had picked out what I wanted, but was disappointed when it was listed $2.50 cheaper online. Also, some of the items we had been looking forward to trying, like their Parmesan Cellar Fries, were not on the menus in our hands, yet were listed online. My boyfriend ordered a burger with bbq sauce and bacon, no onions and asked if they still made the Parmesan fries, which are supposed to come with herbs, cheese, and truffle oil. The server said of course. I ordered the Chicken pot pie. Burger comes out and is swimming in onions and his fries are regular. So, he stops our server and tells her. She takes the meal back and comes back with a burger with scraped off onions, great, but swimming in KETCHUP and these disgusting looking fries that literally look like she took a shaker of Kraft grated cheese and dumped half of it on the fries!! Then she says, "Here you go, is that too much cheese for you?" And I swear she was smirking. They looked and tasted disgusting. I do not understand why she didn't just tell us that they didn't make those cellar fries anymore. Before she left, I asked for another water, which she brought over without asking how our mediocre meals were. My boyfriend couldn't eat his fries and his burger was half burnt. He finishes his meals no matter where we go, so it was surprising when I say that he did not finish. I was not a fan of mine either, but when I went to take a drink of my water I was APPALLED. It was DIRTY and tasted horrible!! Who serves someone dirty water?! Needless to say, she did not come back around to ask how our meals were and it took us 15 minutes to get the check so we could get the hell out of there. I wrote an email stating how disappointed I was with the service and the food and got no reply. I just checked their website and they did end up changing the menu and prices, so I am sure someone saw my email. I will NEVER go back to this establishment, not even to grab a beer!!
(1)
Monika S.
26 Beers on tap including Guinness and Bass perfect now that brown is out on break! Come on down! Great bartender - Nicole.
(3)
Laura C.
Perfect if you're looking for a comfortable place to have some pub food and drink a couple of beers. It's in a basement, so cell service isn't all that great, but the server's service is wonderful. I highly recommend the Bangers and Mash along with a cold beer.
(4)
Lamont C.
Do not go here. My experience here for a simple mediocre dinner after a wake with a friend has resulted in this company attacking me because they refuse to admit they held double the amount of my bill blaming it on me and the bank. There are a lot of elements to a dining experience to include payment. The dining experience itself was as I said mediocre as the waitress was more interested in chatting with her college friends than attending to her customers which were two. The situation was so bad a manager had to come over and get our drinks; and of course due to a lack of miscomunication the waitress gave us another round that we never ordered and did not drink. The wanabee waitress took my debit, and the next day when I checked my account the establishment held double the amount of the bill on my account, after a day of talking to the bank who explained it could only happen at the point of sale three calls to the same manager who had an important delivery coming in that day and could not get to my issue at that time resulting in once again another inconvenience for the customer who had to call back later. Now I had the money returned and thought the issue was resolved until weeks later I get a sarcastic email from CoCo something management company stating there was no way they could have been at fault. No one signed the email and once I asked for a name another dope inserted himself in the conversation once again stating they could not be at fault,,,accusing me of being unreasonable when I was minding my own business and they reached out to start a conflict with me . So the service at the establishment was lousy from beginning to end. I will be back on Thayer Street and if you want a dining experience without headaches do not go here, there are plenty of other choices. My consumer experience playing within yelps guidelines was horrible............
(1)
Melissa K.
Quite possibly the slowest service I have ever received, however the food was great. We went with a group and everyone was beyond pleased with their meals. After getting part way through lunch the chef came out and personally apologized for the wait (even though we had not said anything about) this made me feel that he was really attentive to what was going on in his place. Beer selection was good and the entire place had a nice English feel with out being tacky.
(4)
C V.
English fail house! Quite possibly the worst service I've had. I don't even know where to begin with our experience. I've been in the service industry for over 15 years and I was blown away with how terrible the service was. Dousing the caesar salad in cheese to make up for lack of dressing, which they ran out of but I still had to pay $7for. The batter and chips with a hint of fish was.... Lets just say England would be ashamed. Oh and waiting 15min to ask for our change, which I received my 20 that I put down right back. The only positive remark was the beer. Sorry but we won't be back
(1)
Tessa Y.
I love love love love love the cellar. the service is awesome, my server malea (sorry spelling) was so sweet and knowledgeable. My food came out so quickly even though it was busy. And it was delicious. For beer I got a two roads white IPA, but they also have a dogfish head 120 minute IPA on tap. Which I've never seen here in ri. An amazing experience, a staple of providence for sure.
(5)
Regina F.
Ever want to pretend that you and Gordon Ramsay are old chums? Yeah. All of the time. But, sadly, that has nothing to do with ECA...the ECA and Gordon Ramsay have nothing in common save for a little bit of Brit undertones. Bringing back the theme bars of the '80s, the English Cellar is a fine place to grab a quick drink and a Scottish egg to soak up all of the quick drinks you'll inevitably down. It's less pricey than the standard - erm - OTT places on Thayer, but it's more pricey than the ultimate Brown U dive (the GCB). The atmosphere is conducive to beers, and I think there's some sort of pinball/foosball thing somewhere in the back room - which is a much less theme-y place, and much more just dirty, unappealing 1980s than fun.
(3)
Evelyn S.
I've been here twice. Both times service was really great and it may take a while but you can see that it gets packed very quickly. Beer was a little pricey and quite a few had run out when we got there (~9PM), but the atmosphere is great and I've no real complaints. On Mondays, they have 40 cent wings (need I say more) which are pretty decent. Haven't had a chance to try more than just a couple of appetizers but all were very good. I have really enjoyed it and recommend the basement for a chill night out.
(4)
Austin W.
So bad, it's almost bad in a good way.... Just not quite! Often smells really bad in there, wings are good, drinks are fairly priced, decor is pretty horrendous. Winds me up that they use the British flag for the English Cellar! They have tv's for sports but most of them are partially obscured!
(3)
Matt C.
Great food with a great beer selection! The waitresses are very attentive. My favorite place on Thayer!
(5)
Eric P.
Shine yo shoes goven'r? More like pick your pockets!...by a group of thieving children run by an old man who sings and dances...on the set..of Oliver Twist! English cellar, not sure what to make of it. Staff was kind to me, but it's just too damn expensive. I mean you're a bar on Thayer st, how much does it cost to polish your luscious wooden finish on your bar? I'll probably update this review when I go back some time, but $4.50 for a Gansett is just cahrazyyy to me. I have to pay a dollar tip on that too! That's beyond even Boston prices. 50 cents more and I could of bought a six pack across the street! This was my real turn off, buying two gansetts thinking they would be semi cheap, and realizing I could of gotten a microbrew for probably 50 cents more. I can't even come up with anything witty or amusing to put in this review because I'm so turned off by their prices.
(2)
Zoë R.
This was the worst service I've ever gotten. We had to get our own water, our own utensils and ask for 35 minutes for ranch and blue cheese for our wings. By the time this all happened it was 45 minutes later and I asked for the manager who then relayed the messaged to our even ruder server saying he comped 12 wings. Keep in mind we ordered over 100 wings and there were 7 of us. Such bs service I've never been more upset.
(1)
Brittany S.
Horrible! I didn't even get to try the food here because I felt so uncomfortable. This restaurant decided to participate in the Lord of the Wings competition which they and 20 other restaurants give tickets for 6 free wings with no purchase necessary and no table limit listed. Of course they try to upsell their services to you but me and my guest just wanted the wings. We had two tickets. We ordered and our waiter left and all was well. He came back to confirm what type of wings we wanted and then about 20 minutes later the waiter told us they had no wings and upon that he also told us we would have been charged for blue cheese and an 18% gratuity. Considering we were not even going to get food him telling us this seemed as though he assumed we would not tip and I have never been so insulted. Especially after wasting 30 minutes of my life at this awful establishment.We fully planned on giving our waiter a tip that would match what we would have tipped had our meal been full price but now we will never return! We both work in the service industry and know just how important gratuity is.I would give this zero stars if I could.
(1)
Libby F.
Embarrassed: how I felt after inviting a coworker who was new in town and wanted a beer to this place. I had been here before over the past few years and never had a problem, but 2 weeks ago had the worst service I've had in Providence. They changed the menu to remove the turkey burger, my friend asked for the beer sampler (advertised on the website) and was told we don't do that, sorry. And the waitress knew nothing about the beer and didn't seem to think that was a problem. On top of it she spent most of the time chatting with another patron about going out when her shift was done. I will not be going back, which is too bad because I'm sure this waitress isn't long for this job. This company also owns Coco Pazzo, which I visited when it opened and never wanted to go back to, and Succotash, which is actually great. Go there, of on the hill try Kartabar on Thayer.
(1)
Hilary H.
If we'd only had beer, this place would have gotten four solid stars - great selection, good service (although the waitress did regale us with her hate for PVD), and fun specials. We were enjoying our beers so much, we decided to order some nibblies to hold us over for the afternoon. The food was practically inedible. We ordered some fries that were starchy, mushy, and just barely warm - they actually reminded me a lot of microwaved fries. We also had some frittola that were actually cold cuts wrapped in a wonton and they were just not good - pretty bad, really. I shan't be ordering food from here again, but I may go just for the brews. The decor was fine - they really ran with the English theme and have the faux leather-bound books to show for it. The bathroom and billiards areas are scary, but I can't really expect more from a college bar.
(2)
J H.
I suppose it was compelling to see a reviewer that had waited months. I to have been thinking about reviewing this location also, but have not. I wouldn't say I frequent the English Cellar (now they call themselves the Alehouse as well) but have been there enough to see some ups & downs. The last few months and especially on my last visit the week before Thanksgiving, all fantastic. The experiences were with three different servers. All three very knowledgeable about Craft Brews, and all there enough for my needs but not overly aggressive. And the food: they replaced their menu and had several new offerings. Have had the homemade jalapeno poppers, very nice take on a classic. I was talked into the Pastrami by their manager who raved about its slow smoked preparation. The flavor was off the charts and size ridiculous! I had a good chunk to take home. Talked beer with two different managers who know there suds as well. Beer selection is unmatched in the city. Restrooms downstairs are outdated and when I took my family chose upstairs...a little more bright & cheery. Keep it up. We'll be back.
(5)
Andria T.
I do not quite know what to make of this place. They get huge points for the extensive beer list and for having Young's Double Chocolate Stout on tap, but service is weird, the decor is a bit over the top and it gets crazy loud in there. I had friends visiting from out of town recently, and we just wanted to sit outside and drink a beer. English Cellar was perfect for that. They have beer and tables outside, which is all we wanted. Here's what I don't get though: I've been here other times, sat outside, and been served outside. This time around, and we were there Friday and Saturday night, we sat outside, but had to go get our own drinks. There was a server for outside, but she never once came up to our table to ask if we wanted anything, even though she waited on people sitting next to us. What does a person have to do to get table service outside? It wasn't a huge inconvenience to go get rounds, but I would have happily tipped well to have someone do that for me so I could have uninterrupted time with my friends. Also, there are a ton of staff waiting outside to card you. Maybe it gets a bit brawly in there later at night, but when we showed up at around 9pm on a Friday, there were four guys hanging out outside, blocking the steps, and I wasn't 100% sure that they all worked there. It was a bit off-putting, but not as off-putting as the fact that all of the employees who smoked would flick their cigarette butts out into the street. There was no ashtray anywhere, and bar patrons did the same thing. NO! You do not do that! Littering is so 1985--what the hell? We sat there for three hours and just watched cigarette butt after cigarette butt get flicked out onto Angell Street. That make me kind of never want to go there again. English Cellar Alehouse, get one of those cigarette chimney things, littering is not ok!
(2)
Stephanie M.
I love their beer menu. They're the only place in Providence to have Innis & Gunn all the time. Their food.... well, let's not talk about their food. Don't come hungry, is all I can say. (Eh, they're British. I got about what i expected - mushy, overdone, bland.) They do have alllll the beers, reasonably priced. I haven't seen the bad service so many reviews mention, finding instead unusually knowledgeable waitstaff who seem comfortable with their stock and capable of making good recommendations.
(4)
Kimberly D.
Used to like this place a few years back. Good food and drinks. Then the menu changed a bit. My favorite meals disappeared. Have been here about three times in the past four months, all unsatisfactory. The first time we ordered Caesar salads that were soggy and drenched in dressing. When we let the waitress know this she did nothing. The second time I came for a work meeting. We ordered apps outside as there was a discount for "cellar dweller." Our server was insanely slow. We waited forever for our check and even longer for the waitress to take the payment. We had to bring it up to the manager. It was then we learned that you had to join the cellar dweller club to get the half price appetizers. We just wanted to leave. I went there a few weeks ago with my roommate and we had another bad experience. She ordered a Captain and coke and received a tiny drink in a wine glass. We asked about the above mentioned cellar dweller club and our waitress was pretty much clueless. We moved on and ordered regular meals. My roommate ordered and sandwich with sweet potato fries and the fries came out basically black. On top of that service was slow. In my book, three strikes and your out. I won't be going back.
(2)
Angela H.
So my labmates and I have been going to this place since it opened, a little over 2 years ago. It started off strong, but then things have devolved quickly. We wanted to like it *so badly.* Really. They DO have a great beer selection, but here is a sample of things that have happened to us since we've been going there: 1) A friend ordered a beer, was presented with the WRONG beer (and expensive beer) and the manager attempted to shame him into buying it, then shamed the waitress in front of all us. Ew. 2) They advertised watching the women's World Cup last summer. But then I had to plead with the staff to turn it on when I stopped by for lunch. 3) Every. Single. Time. We wait for 10 minutes to order a GD beer. Then, if we're lucky, we ONLY wait 10 minutes to pay for our check when we're ready to leave. 4) Tonight it smelled so strongly of moth balls that we were ready to leave just on account of that. Luckily, the bad service made it an easy choice. 5) Waiter: "You can have this second beer menu...but just for a little while." Really? I have wanted to like this place so badly that I haven't Yelped these bad experiences for 2 years, we just check in about 1x per month or so to see how things are. Welp, tonight we got up and left just like we did the last 3 times we've dropped in, so it's about time I shared the experience. Service SUCKS.Don't spend your money here. Spat's has a pretty decent beer list for cheap, and Paragon has a decent expensive beer list. And both of those places will wait on you at lightning speed compared to English Alehouse.
(1)
Kel S.
This place was great. Loved their selection of beers. We chose this place as there were many of us celebrating the end of our masters program. We planned to sit outside, but the weather was uncooperative, so we opted for the basement, instead. We ordered several items from both the English Cellar and their sister restaurant upstairs. Everything was great. The decor is cute, but the music was a little loud, especially for happy hour. Our server was attentive and we had a great time. The only drawback was the bathroom was a bit dated and yucky. Thanks English Cellar!
(4)
Nathan L.
My Fiance and I have lived in Providence for about two years now and the English Cellar has been a frequent spot for us on nights out, studying between classes and even some of there holiday parties. So we've seen a lot going on there. We love the cellar, Foods always been great, atmosphere is awesome, a great beer selection and we just love the cellar vibe. We've also eaten upstairs at Coco, we were no where near as impressed. This last time we went the food had changed a bit, still good however some of what we expected (prior to knowing the menu had changed) wasn't there like the remoulade sauce for the onion rings, this was a disappointment however everything else was great. Service was good, however we've been dozens of times and its rare that we ever have or even see previous servers. They seem to go through staff weekly, which isn't uncommon but it does show when our waiter / waitress also isn't familiar with the new menu. We also noticed that upstairs was being transformed into an additional space for the cellar. We walked upstairs to check it out and the paint was literally drying, it looks great! We cant wait to revisit and experience the new environment!
(3)
Jane C.
"I am so done with that place" is what I said to a colleague who asked me if I was going to a staff event after work. They have a great location near Brown's campus, and it's probably the best choice for an end of the day gathering near Thayer street. The food is actually pretty good and you can order off the menu from the Italian restaurant upstairs as well. What bothers me is the service. They aren't particularly friendly, even if you've been there a lot and they know your face. Once I ordered one of my favorite beers only to discover that the draft was at the bottom of the barrel so I got a glass full of foam. I said I wasn't so sure about how it looked, and the server said that's how it's supposed to because it's a Nitrate beer (false). Then I discovered it had a different taste, and asked if I could replace it with something else. The server continued to insist that the problem was with my taste buds, not the beer. Even if that were true, decent customer service would mandate an immediate replacement. I've since moved away from Providence, but even if I hadn't, I'm not sure I'd go back unless I heard that things had turned around.
(2)
Annamarie T.
So if you like beer this place is for you, there are soooo many beers to choose from and with such a vast selection you are sure to find one you like! Also, tried the food was pretty good, nothing special but they did have fried oreos for dessert so that was def a win! Overall, English Cellar a cool little hipster bar, and def someplace worth checking out for the beer list!
(4)
Bill H.
I dropped by twice during the week while I was visiting Brown. The beer list is good, and is definitely the bar's main draw. Drink prices are reasonable, too. The staff was courteous, but at both my table and my bar-seat later in the week I found myself waiting longer than I expected. The bar's got a funky smell, and the passage between the bar and the pool tables is too small for me.
(3)
Raymond K.
The Cellar, as it's known to locals, is respectably solid. For a basement bar, it is remarkably comfortable, whether you're sitting at one of the tables on the edges, at the long high tables in the middle, or at the bar. It boasts over 200 of the world's best beers, so you should be able to find whatever ale you fancy. The food is quite good for pub fare, no complaints on a gooey Lobster mac 'n' cheese or a generously-seasoned (and piping hot!) Shepherd's pie. Very attentive servers. This is a place where you can go for a hang-out session, vent about your students, or catch up with friends/family who live in Providence. That said, there are no doubt better places to visit if you are in town for a short while.
(3)
Andrew H.
This place was very overpriced, service was okay, beer selection was amazing (for a price), and the food was decent. Go here to drink, not to eat. Expect good quality bottled beer with a fair selection but be prepared to pay.
(3)
Jack M.
Dark basement bar with tons of beers to choose from. I tried a few I'd never heard of before and was pleasantly surprised! This place has some character too - rounded red leather couch in back with a pool table. Neat place to hang out! Don't know about the food - just drank here. But I give it a thumbs up!
(4)
Holly S.
No complaints really cept it was cramped but it is a cozy pub so it's supposed to be dark and small? Right? Service good, beer just fine
(4)
Melissa H.
They have a wonderfully diverse selection of beers. I was delighted to try several local and semi-local brews that are difficult to find in my home state. Our server was knowledgeable about many of the brews, which was a nice bonus. My only complaint is the bathroom: it was a dark, smelly, un-airconditioned one-seater with no windows. Boo.
(4)
Robert S.
Hilary, I agree with you 100%.....the only good thing about the Cellar is the extensive beer selection...but the food is Horrible. We used to play trivia there often and many times, we would WIN, so we got gift certificates for our next visit....the one thing that I found partially edible was the Fish and Chips...otherwise anything else was just So Bad...I decided to stop going to trivia there since the prize was more of a punishment than a prize !! LOL !!!
(1)
Alisa H.
Came for the beer, stayed for the beer. Great beer selection and a fun pub atmosphere.
(4)
Keith F.
The food is good. I haven't really had a bad meal there yet. There beer selection is great. The waitress I've had a few times now, is knowledgeable with the selection, she recommended to me once a strawberry beer. It was very good and tasty. Best night to go is Sunday night because they have team trivia.
(5)
Fernanda K.
You know how sometimes you just walk into the right place at the right time? I was wandering around on a rainy Sunday afternoon not sure where to go - the idea was to find a place I'd never been to. As I walked down Thayer St. and glanced around corners, I saw that this old basement bar was not what it used to be. Dark, low ceilings, fireplace, and over 200 beers. It had a mood I hadn't felt in Providence in quite a while. First great beer: Out of the measly 8 caskets of Lagunitas that came into RI, this place got two of them. It reminds me of delirium, which I love. To make it even better it only cost $6. The bartender wanted to know why I didn't want mussels, so I told him my fish story, to which he replied, "I've heard that story before, was it "Of Mice and Men?" Holy Moly, my squishing of the fish was just compared to Lenny's squishing of the mouse. So not only did I find good atmosphere and good beer, I also found a bartender making literary jokes? Hum, I think I like it here... I was hungry and stock gangster talk kept going through my head, although Clint E. beats any of them. I imagine Clint's squinting eye and I digress... The bartender says: "we've got this scotch egg you should try. It's a soft-boiled egg wrapped in sausage and deep fried in breadcrumbs. The house's own creation." Just what I needed, a strange concoction to keep the enterprise afloat. I forgot to mention that they not only had soccer playing on the background TVs, they had local Brazilian teams playing: Vasco Vs. Palmeiras. It was Father's Day in Brazil on that day (different date than here), and I could imagine my own father drinking a beer and watching the game, much as I was doing a continent away, there with my Lagunita and scotch-boiled egg. I met an old French man who wrote books, and an eager Dutch still pimply-faced doctoral student. The bartender offered to make a pub trivia team and play with us, but the conversation was too engaging to pay attention to any other game.
(4)
Joanna R.
This place is really hit or miss. Recently, it's been mostly a miss. If you go on a weekend night, the bar area is packed and tables are taken. This past time I went with my friends, the service was awful. We found a table and waited a good amount of time before getting our drinks at the bar. Thirty minutes passed when our server finally came over to the table. She was visibly annoyed that we didn't order with her. OK, I understand you don't get a tip if we order at the bar, but maybe try to come over sooner? Second, for the rest of the night, she was an awfully miserable person. One of my friends had just received his permanent residency so we wanted to celebrate big. We still had a fun night but no thanks to the English Cellar. Ok, the bartenders are normally fantastic and the beer list is extensive, I just think I've had too many bad service experiences to make it a worthwhile bar.
(2)
Nicole R.
Stopped in briefly to grab a drink while walking down thayer. Waitress was ok, seemed like they were trying very hard to stick to the English theme. There were a lot of hipster kids running around and it was a very young crowd. Prices were reasonable and the drinks were pretty good. Nothing really had the wow factor for me but sometimes you just need a good ol' stand by to head into... that's definitely the type of place this was for me..
(3)
Clayton R.
I am a huge fan of Doherty's and it's extensive craft beer selection. After hearing such great things about the Alehouse, my wife and I finally got there this past weekend. While, in my opinion, nobody can top Doherty's on the number of beers offered, this bar did have an impressive selection. We bumped into an old friend and talked for a long time, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. The only thing preventing me from giving it five stars, as other reviewers have stated, was the service.We sat at the bar instead of a booth. The first bartender we had was amazing, letting us try samples of different beers to decide if we might want to buy a full pint. Once she left, our next bartender was a different story. He was unattentive, unfriendly and walked by us several times as we tried to flag him down for another beer. He seemed more interested in talking to a couple girls and his buddy than serving us. The rest of the staff I encountered were very friendly and I loved that you could order food off of the two different menus. We will go back at some point, but it's not "Cheers" material for me.
(4)
Samantha S.
I love the fruity beer selection. I love it even more when Shipyard Pumpkinhead and Applehead is on there. Great selection of beers (I would choose this place over the Mews any day as far as beer selection goes). I have never had the food so I am not rating this place based on that. For a good beer come here.
(4)
Darcy P.
I went here on a Friday night around 9 pm. There weren't many seats, but my friend and I found a place at the bar. The bartender came and talked to us immediately, and spent several minutes helping us choose a beer, even letting us sample some. The food was amazing! We split the Celler Fries and the Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Both came out in less than 10 minutes and they were very hot and were clearly just made. When we left four of the employees wished us a good night. Great food, great beer, and great service!
(5)
Naomi B.
I love pubs so when I find a 'real' pub I am a happy camper! We visited on a Sunday night in February and the place was very quiet. Fish and Chips are amazing!!! Beer menu was fantastic and decor was so authentic and cozy. Service was fast and pleasant and we left very happy.
(5)
Amanda H.
After spending 5 years in the UK, this place is a welcome retreat in Providence. Amazing beer selection and friendly staff. I've been taking my friends that visit from abroad to this place and everyone agrees, The English Cellar does a great job replicating the pub culture atmosphere of jolly old England.
(4)
Omar R.
This bar is amazing, i have been going there for over 2 years and it never stops to impress me. the selection of beer is second to none in the providence area, the food is fresh, the menu has alot of variety from tapas to pizza to wings and burgers. The bartenders are very knowledgeable, especially Lindsay, and the manager Brett is very professional, and used a heck of a bartender. Overall a great place to be with a good environment, a good brew selections, good food and good service
(5)
Deeds D.
I came in here with my girlfriend looking for a good beer so we walk in, sit down, and order up. Right away it seems like the bartender is totally trashed. It was Sunday so the bar was pretty quiet and this guy is just yelling acting the fool. I thought it was pretty funny but my girlfriend was getting angry at the sexual remarks he was making to his female waitstaff. They were clearly embarrassed at some of the stuff this guy was saying in front of customers. So we just do our best to ignore all this and enjoy our beer which was pretty good. Very good selection, they had a lot of stuff from Belgium. I noticed a pool table in the back. It had an overall cool look to it with the British theme. Anyway back to the story, after enjoying my beer I step out for a smoke and who comes out but the drunken bartender. I don't think he noticed me and he then proceeds to puke all over the entry way to the bar. Check please. Your at work and you get so drunk that your puking on your own establishment. And this was a grown man keep in mind. I hate to judge a place on one person because other than all this I enjoyed the atmosphere in here. But seriously its not good for business, save the boozing for when your off the clock.
(2)
Betsy R.
I must confess that my friends and I were here so often one summer that we ceased calling it the "English cellar" and just started calling it "going out." My friends and I are beer rats, and The English Cellar boasts a number of (bottled) craft beers, which is fun, but if you're looking for a vast draft selection, this ain't the place. They did have Old Speckled Hen on draft for a while (and still might) which impressed me. I wouldn't bother with the food unless it's one of their beer dinners (pairing beer with courses) because it appears that most of their menu originates as chain-restaurant quality frozen pub fare. For those of us that remember when it was the "liquid lounge" with plywood beer pong tables, the decor is definitely an upgrade. It does feel like an old-world European pub, and there are cozy booths in which to sit if you're lucky enough to nab one. Let me conclude by saying that I give this place four stars in the summer, but only three in the winter months. While it appears that they inspect IDs critically at the door, the abundance of (underaged) college kids is rather off-putting.
(4)
Alex H.
If I was local, I might turn this into my bar. "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" emblazoned over the bar shows this is owned by like-minded folks. The beer list is phenomenal. The list was crafted by folks who appreciate and love beer in all its forms, and want to ensure that the world gets a chance to try multiple examples of each. Locals and regionals are heavily represented, while other imports and more distant regional beers (woo Abita!) are highlighted. While the shared space of the tapas restaurant above is in service, the music is pleasant and a bit retro. However, once the tapas bar closes, the bass it turned up and Usher calls out to the adjacent street to entice college kids away from their beer money. I would have given this place a four, but that clarion call was my sign that it was time to settle the bill.
(3)
Chris J.
I kind of miss the Liquid Lounge bar that used to be at this location (classic dumpy college bar) but I was happy to hear that a craft beer oriented bar had opened up in its place. First impression upon walking in was that they did a nice job renovating the place as a classy upscale English pub. A little too bright though. I didn't try any of the food so I can't comment on that aspect of this establishment. As for the beer, they have a huge and rather expensive bottle selection. The draft selection was too small for my liking and was made up of English beers and was a tad expensive, though beers like Old Speckled Hen are always pricey on tap. My friend that came with me, and doesn't drink alcohol, ordered a Diet Coke as usual, and we were pretty surprised that they charged $2.50 for it, which was almost half what my pricey English beer cost. To be honest, I am not a fan of paying high prices for bottles of beer I can get at a store down the street and the draft selection was only so-so. The Wickenden Pub has almost as many bottles and the same size draft selection (though no food) so this place is not unique in its beer selection. Rated purely on the beer, which is as big part of how they seem to be promoting themselves, this place has potential but I doubt it will become a beer destination. I will return to try the food though. The bar drink service was very good 3 stars might have been warranted but $2.50 for a diet coke? Whats up with that?
(2)
Stefanie G.
We've come here to drink a handful of times. HUGE variety of beers, which is awesome. Have not tried their food... and I probably never will! I would only come here to drink, chill, and chat at night on the weekends before it gets TOO late/packed. It can get cliquey in here, especially in the back room area. The bartenders are cool, though.
(4)
Keyser S.
I was really excited to try this place. Unfortunately this turned out to be my worst dining experience I've ever had in Providence. I went here for lunch with four other people. After being seated, it took about 15 minutes for the waitress to take our order. About 30 minutes after placing our order the appetizers arrived. I ordered the wings, which were disappointing. The quality of the chicken wasn't bad, but the sauce was terrible and they were room temperature, at best. My companions had the cheese plate, which they enjoyed. Immediately after I finished my appetizer, my entree was delivered. Rather than delivering all of our entrees at once, mine was brought out approximately ten minutes prior to the rest. All of the remaining entrees were brought out at different times. Much like my appetizer, my entree was room temperature when it was brought out. All together, it took roughly an hour to receive our entrees. The only reason why this place gets two stars is because the waitress was cute.
(2)
Scott B.
I went in for beers and grabbed some fries while I was there. They have a very extensive beer list, 3 or 4 pages. So they have a lot to choose from. It gets the 5 stars due to the beer list. A few other bars have pretty good beer list in the area, but overall craft and foreign brews dominate the alehouse list. The fries were good, with a good amount of sea salt on them to give them a bite in the flavor.
(5)
Steven D.
PJ D.; "As a few other posters mentioned this place is a Jekyll & Hyde sort of bar." That must be the case, for it was a surprise to see so many negative reviews. I visited once, on a Monday afternoon. There were only a handful there, so service was unlikely to be an issue. However, the barman was friendly and clearly cared about his beer. The selection of beer was cosmopolitan, but consistantly good, suggesting a love of good beer rather than a will to show off. Incidentally, a tip for people creating British pubs outside of the UK, in Britain, the chairs will very rarely match. Though, I have actually seen working red phone boxes in English pubs, so top marks there.
(4)
Robin S.
Gets 4 starts exclusively based on the drinks and atmosphere. If you're on college hill, want to stick on Thayer, and want to avoid the more...house music lovin' crowd of Viva, then here's where you go. Good drinks, friendly bar tenders (sadly a friendly bar tender merits a star on its own), and if a bit pricey, it's because you were too lazy to get off the hill.
(4)
PJ D.
As a few other posters mentioned this place is a Jekyll & Hyde sort of bar. On a weeknight it's a place you can have a beer and catch up with friends and have a great night. I've enjoyed the food I've had there and found it to be just what the doctor ordered on a few occasions. We even had an office outing there that was a huge hit. On the weekends the scent of Fitch Fierce and desperation hangs thick in the air. Its mind numbingly loud and so crowded you're likely to spill a good amount of your high end craft beer. Now, that may be a plus for the younger set looking to get hammered and find that special someone to make a mistake with. Not my scene. The beer selection is awesome, no way around it. The prices for the beers are on par with other beers that serve rarer Belgian imports and craft beers, perhaps a tad on the high side. Bottom line, if you're going there for the beer go on a weeknight. If your going there for the Roofie Coolata and a rash of mysterious origins, you'll love Friday or Saturday night.
(3)
Jeffrey H.
Went here last night for dinner, boy was I disappointed. The ambiance was fine, the service was acceptable, and the prices were reasonable (thus 2 stars instead of 1), but the food was terrible and portions were pretty small. It's fine as a bar, but I would strongly recommend against coming here for dinner. In particular, the ceasar salad was just iceberg lettuce drenched in what seemed to be mayonnaise, with "croutons" that were the worst I've ever had. It's hard to make bad croutons, but these had a weird consistency and bad flavor.
(2)
Simon O.
I went to the Ale House semi-regularly to play their Sunday trivia with some friends. The service was never more than OK, but it underwent a steady decline over 2011. We went with a larger group in late summer. We were a table of 8 - a solid table without a doubt, some apps, much beer being purchased. My trivia pals and I noted (with some bemusement) that it was the fifth consecutive visit where they appeared to have had at least 100% turnover in the wait staff. It's tough to say, but honestly it was the appalling service that ended up driving us all away. Maybe it is the constant turnover that is doing them in, but I won't be back.
(1)
Hannah R.
Good selection of beers, fun place (pool table, lot of booths) but the prices are absolutely out of control for a dive-bar kind of place on College Hill. Expect to pay at least a dollar more per beer than at Spats or another spot on Thayer. There's nothing special here to justify those kind of prices.
(2)
Ted D.
Little hidden Gem. EXTENSIVE beer list, mostly bottles. Our server was very knowledgeable, present the correct amount of time and let us know which drafts they were out of at the moment. Even had a suggestion when I was stumped on what to get next. Had a burger that was very good. Nice handmade pattie, cooked to order and served on a traditional English Muffin. The side of fries were straight from the fryer and had just the right amount of seasoning. Prices were very good and reasonable. They are in the midst of renovations; but this is worthy of a return trip.
(3)
Galya T.
this place has put me under its spell. very fun atmosphere. the crowd is a mix of many: young and older. beer is not that expensive so i am not complaining
(5)
Eric L.
We went around Thayer Street looking for a bite (somewhere we haven't gone before was our hope) and almost decided on Paragon again until we saw English Alehouse sign. We were greeted quite nicely and given opportunity to view both the upstairs menu and downstairs pub menu. The receptionist was nice and friendly. So we walked into the pub following the receptionist and both of us could not believe the distasteful odor of septic backup. Seated near the rear of the pub, we could not enjoy the food as waves of pungent smells took over as customers walked by. Thank God we bought some incense just before our arrival... Here we sat waving the incense around to avoid the odor. My partner ordered meatloaf which sounded good but was definitely not something we would suggest.... he never got his veggies either. I had the fish n chips which was okay... FYI tarter sauce very spicy for those of you who like tarter sauce but not hot. We didn't know till we tried it! Needless to say do not go if you aren't half in the bag and might not notice the aroma... Beer is probably good though!
(1)
Jeff W.
I ordered a Porter and was brought an IPA. The music was top 40 country. I didn't like it.
(2)
Rebecca R.
Since my last unpleasant experience they have changed their food menu and have created an additional menu. I have been back 3 or 4 times since and everything has been delicious. I was happily surprised my first time back, especially because I was very apprehensive about trying the new menu. So far all is good. I just really hope they continue with all the great food.
(5)
Kristi L.
I guess I'm of the mindset that this place is okay, but not worth the drive into Providence for me. There really wasn't much noteworthy here, or at least nothing noteworthy when compared to similar places closer to home. Plus, factoring in the horrendous parking situation [read: no parking, and good luck finding a spot on the street when you're 1 block over from Thayer and a stone's throw away from Brown], it's just not that big of a deal.
(2)
Charlotte M.
If you love beer you will love this place! I came here for my first bar stop in Providence after a recommendation and I was very pleased. They have a huge selection of all different types of beer. It might be so big you will have a hard time deciding. Luckily me and my sister had a very attentive bartender that gave us recommendations upon hearing our preferences. I had some seasonal beers and an old speckled hen. All very delicious and rich. My sister is more of an IPA fan and she had plenty to choose from. She must have had 3 different types she never even heard of and loved all of them. I liked this place for those reasons alone. Any place that serves a nondiscriminatory list of beers that is reasonably priced is fine by me!
(4)
Heather W.
Decent place to go for drinks. Does have a very extensive beer menu, sadly I am not a fruity beer kind of girl so a lot of them did not do much for me. When I went I had a bunch of different IPAs, none of which were on tap which was sort of disappointing. Also was not given a pint class but more of a wine glass for my beer. While I had no interest in the whiskey my friend did and their whiskey selection was not too extensive.
(3)
Sean M.
This is my least favorite bar in all of Providence. Pros: Pool table and good beer selection. Cons: Staff is consistently rude or inattentive, can become quite packed with undergrads on the weekend, food isn't worth the price at all. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big beer guy, but I can appreciate the selection that English Cellar carries. The food I've had is bland (typical bar food), although I'm not expecting the most stellar dishes coming from a place that has "English," "Cellar," and "Alehouse" all in the name. The biggest complaint I have with this bar is the service. I've been ~5-10 times and have had poor service at more than half of my visits. Staff doesn't seem to try that hard. I've sat at tables for long stretches of time with empty glasses waiting. Staff refuses to split checks, and will direct you across the street to the Bank of America ATM to leave cash with your friends if you plan on leaving before they do.
(2)
Brett B.
Checked out this place yesterday for lunch with a friend to celebrate his 30th. We both enjoyed the experience. The draught beer selection included about 12 choices with 2 additional specials to choose from. The bottle selection was quite impressive and seemed endless. The burger I had was just all right but the beer battered fish and chips my friend had that I was lucky enough to sample was just great. The beer battered onion rings were also flavored so well that I passed on the included dip. Service was prompt and friendly. You'll be happy if you get Lindsey. Based on my first experience I was surprised how quiet it was inside but then again it was a snowy weekday. The food prices were fair and the beer prices were about average. The atmosphere of the establishment was also quite nice if not a bit dark for my taste. We'll definitely be back and recommend this place to others.
(4)
Eric F.
Thayer Street is one of my go-to weekend locals, and one evening, by chance, I happened into the English Cellar Alehouse, which runs perpendicular to Thayer. English Ale Cellar presents a nice contrast to the Kartobar's, Paragon's, and other college haunts/guido spots that populate Thayer. Quality and unique brews, decent prices and my god...available seating! A good place to switch it up if you don't feel like being packed into a bar awkwardly standing next to that one sweaty guy with spiked hair and a button down who just won't stop trying to dance with each and every girl who walks past him...
(3)
Julie A.
The English Cellar : aka the old Liquid Lounge, in the heart of RISD/BROWN Thayer's east side. I went to the English Cellar on a friday evening with my girl friend, before the bar rush. We both sat at the bar and ordered some appetizers. The decor and ambiance was nice with wood booths, tables, and exposed brick.They seemed to have a pretty extensive beer selection. There were 2 bartenders on shift, and they seemed a little disorganized. Our girl promptly took our beer orders, but we had a little trouble getting her (or even the other guy's) attention to order food. Once we did, I ordered a clam chowder, and my friend ordered a salad. It was good, but nothing fantastical, and a little pricey for what I would imagine to be a "divey" establishment, considering the decor/ambiance. But again, this is in a prime college student area, so I can see why they might hike up their prices. Overall, good. I'd go again, and recommend it to someone who wants an English Pub-esque feel place.
(3)
Holly L.
I stopped by here last night for a birthday gathering. We sat in the cellar which looked like it sat plenty of people. I had the meatloaf with wasn't any thing spectacular but wasn't terrible either. I would probably try something different next time. My boyfriend ordered a creamed Dijon chicken dish that was awesome. They have a beer for every pallet. Their martinis range from 8-10 bucks and were strong. The waitress was very attentive and as nice as could be. At 11pm the lights were turned down and the music turned up. The remaining empty seats filled up quick. It seemed to be the place to be on a Saturday night. I'd suggest it to a friend.
(4)
Ryan M.
The English Cellar Alehouse is my favorite bar off of Thayer Street. They have a large beer selection and a menu full English staples. I've been there several times now, so I will give you a quick breakdown of each visit. Every time I have been here, the service has been pleasant. The first time I was there was for a weekday lunch. I enjoyed steak on a stick as an appetizer, and mac and cheese for lunch. The I really enjoyed the food, and I can't wait to try more of their offerings. The second time I visited was for a birthday celebration. It was a Sunday night, and they were offering live trivia. [They do this every Sunday night.] The mood was upbeat, there was a small crowd, but nothing overbearing. The trivia was very entertaining, and the drinks were great! I stopped in last night, but, I was disappointed with the crowd. There was no seating available, and the staff looked overwhelmed. I didn't stay very long. Still though, the English Cellar Alehouse is highly recommended.
(4)
Lori H.
Stumbled upon this wonderful place this afternoon! Enjoyed several outstanding, hard-to-find beers, a couple of delectable scotch eggs (trust me- you should try them), and chatting with the very knowledgable and welcoming Mike at the bar! Great atmosphere, all the food we saw going by looked and smelled wonderful, really terrific bar and waitstaff- complete with pride in their restaurant and senses of humor and a HUGE beer list (draught and bottled)-- what more could you ask for? We'll be back!
(5)
Andrea J.
Horrible! food sucks, deplorable service, terrible atmosphere. Last call and lights on happens more than a half hour before closing, the staff is obnoxious, the bartenders/managers come directly to you promptly at 12:59 or 1:00am swearing and insulting costumers to "get the fuck out! It's 1am we're closed! That means you! Put your drink down i have a babysitter at home that i gotta pay for this shit!"....staff had no idea how to run a business and no concept of customer service. Took me 20 minutes to get someone to seat me and got referred to 5 other staff members before i got seated...each one more annoyed than the last. Also, when my friends went, they wanted a table to eat, a staff member told they could not sit down at one of the FEW open booths in the front of the restaurant because they were saving those IN CASE large parties came in...instead they were sat all the way in the back room, at a table for 2, in a room occupied by only the man using cleaning products to clean while filling the room with chemical smell. They decided not to eat, had 1 drink and left. Money lost. Place SUCKS. i had a pizza there, it sucked. Really blows because the place used to be decent. Every time i go there it gets worse, I've given it chances, will never be going again. And i spend lots of money when i go out.
(1)
John M.
Very impressive beer list (200+). The bartenders are easy going and very knowledgeable and can always give you a great recommendation based on your tastes if you are in the mood to try new beers. Some beers that cannot be found anywhere and are extremely rare might be a little pricier but keep in mind, you don't go here to pound 15 beers frat party style. If you do want to pound a bunch of brews, those beers are here too. The true true beer connoisseur can start a "list." You put your name on a piece of paper which lists approximately 200 different beers. This list is kept at the bar and each time you come in and drink something appearing on that paper, it is checked off. At each 25 beer milestone (25, 50,75, etc) you receive a random prize. If you finish your list, you are immortalized among the other brave souls by having your list framed and hung behind the bar along with a personalized inscription (one example is "Veni Bevi Vici" - I came, I drank, I conquered) in perpetuity. Overall, great feel in the bar. It is not a "hipster" bar as at least one reviewer said (I have not seen one person with a PBR). I have been here many many times and it is a diverse crowd consisting of down to earth, friendly people ranging from Brown professors, to bankers, to college kids. The food is reasonably priced, simple, and good. the fries and burgers in particular are delicious and they actually cook it the way you want (you know how uncommon this is if you order your burgers medium rare). Also, they are currently undergoing an expansion in which a staircase was just built connecting the basement to the newly built Coco Pazzo, an Italian restaurant, upstairs! Based on the high importance the Cellar management places on customer service and beer and food quality, I can't wait to try to try this! I think it opens mid-March 2012. So, you will like the Cellar if you enjoy a social, friendly atmosphere or meeting new people, you like beer, and you don't act like Jersey Shore.
(5)
Bob A.
The worst service I have experienced in a great while. They obviously hire their staff based on looks not skill, which is fine...but at least train the bimbos to take an order and deliver food and drink. We sat for ages before recognized. Drink took quite some time and food even longer. They were out of the first 4 beers I ordered. When the food did arrive it was luke warm and greasy. And when I say greasy it was literally sittting in a puddle of grease. When my server finally showed up to check on how things were I mentioned how greasy the food was. She smirked and said "You know it was deep fried right???" At this point I was about to lose it. I asked to speak to a manager. When a drawn looking man with a beard came over to our table I knew this was going to be interesting. The manager was very stand offish. Didn't seem to want to make us happy or care about us returning...so we won't. BTW- There is nothing english about this place except the name don't waste your time!!!
(1)
Sarah B.
One fall night I was wandering about providence with two friends and happened upon this bar. It was a very relaxed bar scene for a saturday night, nice interior, not too cramped feeling. We sat down for a couple beers to find that they had a fairly extensive menu (no natty ice or keystone insight... sorry college boys). I ended up getting hard cider which was very good and fit with my autumn mood (they had several different choices of cider as well) We decided to get the spinach and artichoke app. When it arrived, I was pleased to find that it was a step above the freezer section applebees variety and was served with pita chips. It was a great snack and very tasty... until I started chewing on something that sort of felt like an eggshell. Come to find that the ceramic bowl that it was served in was chipped. Low and behold I pull a piece of ceramic out of my mouth... yum! Now I've only been there once so I can't really say that they serve their food with broken bits of ceramic to all of their patrons but I didn't really appreciate it. Aside from that minor incident, the service was decent for a fairly busy night. I would probably go there again
(3)
Walter K.
The English Cellar Alehouse is a great place for many occasions. They have fun theme nights, as well as great deals. Cheap but solidly good food. Great appetizers. The servers are always great. Swift and know lots about beer. And speaking of which, their beer selection is phenomenal. Sometimes certain beers aren't available but they are quick with a recommendation. The bar downstairs is a great atmosphere and good for groups or just two or three people. Always down for the alehouse! great, versatile place.
(5)
Rose G.
I like the drinks here, but the service is absolutely horrendous. I have been here for over an hour. Not once has this waitress visited our table to get our second round. When we first got here we waited 20 minutes and were never acknowledged. So we went up to the bar to get our first round. When we returned to our seats we were promptly scolded by the absent waitress for not ordering from her. Well where were you the last 20 minutes? So now here we are waiting for the second round that will likely never come. We will be leaving shortly for another bar and likely never returning.
(1)
s p.
Given the dearth of RI beer-bars and the fact that this place just opened, I'm reluctant to give a bad review, but...they need to sort out some things quickly or they won't be around long. My wife and I went to dinner with two other couples and all six of us were in agreement: Food - Onion rings were great, so was the buffalo chicken tenders. The rest of the dinners - a few orders of fish and chips, a burger, onion soup, etc., were all acceptable pub-fare. The Sheppard's Pie, however, was inedible; it was a nothing more than a layer of ground beef with sloppy-joe mix, a layer of canned corn, and a layer of mashed potatoes. Granted, that might be an authentic English recipe, but it still sucked. My wife stopped after 4 bites and the only reason there was half of it gone when the waitress came and picked it up was because a few of us tried it. I've had great Sheppard's pie, this is a recipe designed around a price-point. Service - Attentive to the point of annoyance. I realize that they just opened, but we literally had two, maybe three, people hovering over us all dinner long. There is a rhythm to good service, and nothing stinks worse than being ignored, but having your dinner interrupted over two dozen times is a close second. I think this will eventually improve, as it's most probably a management issue, because the wait staff were definitely competent and very polite. Beer - (warning beer-snob rant about to begin) Having traveled all over the world solely to drink beer, I can assure you any bar attempting to market itself to a beer crowd but not knowing beer-culture is going to suffer. They claim to offer over 150 beers, and they actually have more than that, but quantity does not always equate to a great experience. The menu, with all beers organized alphabetically (arguably the worst way to list beers), was filled with spelling errors, mislabeled styles, and looks like it was put together by someone who worked with the distributor, but doesn't really know and love beer. The most glaring issue is the price: reasonable on some bottles and completely out of line on others. Would anyone in their right mind pay $17 for a bottle of Orval? How about a $27 for a bomber of Oak-aged Yeti? Both of these beers are available locally at half of those prices. The Houblon Chouffe was more than Rochefort 10...on what planet does that make sense? (ok, beer-snob rant is over). My menu recommendations: first, organize by style or by brewer, or better yet both, that way when you're looking for a stout or an IPA, you see everything that is offered. Second, have a knowledgeable beer geek proof your entire menu, anyone who orders a beer they've never had needs a solid, first-hand description. And third, get out locally to see some of the beer-centric establishments so you can adjust the pricing on the higher-end beers. In the end I filled out the feedback paper they handed us and then even discussed it in-person with the manager, and to his credit he seemed genuinely interested in hearing the feedback. So bottom line: I really do hope they get it right, god-knows Providence could use another bar that has something other than 10 crappy beers, but if they don't listen and learn from the folks who love beer then given the expense of a Thayer Street business, I predict they'll be gone in a year or so.
(2)
Neil C.
Simply a horrible experience! An extensive beer list however extremely disorganized. My wife and i ordered hamburgers which were chard black to the point that they were un edible. The bill was completely removed only after multiple conversations with our waitress. Don't waste your time in this place with all the options in Providence.
(1)
Linh T.
This is my second regular bar option when I used to live in Providence. They have two floors. The first floor is a nice open restaurant/ bar kind of set up. Drink options are not special, but you can find pretty much all the typical and local beers (RI and MA brewed). I wouldn't say that the food here is great either. Yet, definitely order the bbq wings if you come around. Pasta is also a good option for a less casual dinner. The basement gives out more of a bar vibe. The best two things to do here is: first, to come after 9pm for a drink with friends. The Brown students always hang out here so you always have young people surrounded when having a beer. Secondly, come when they stream a soccer game. Since it's an Irish ale house ( trust me it's not that Irish at all. A little nicer!), they do stream European soccer league when there are good games. It's the best! People actually show up wearing their teams' jerseys, order bbq wings and beers to watch the game. It definitely felt like one of those European pubs. If you are not into either of these experiences, just swing by at 4pm, sit outside and have a beer.
(4)
Melissa M.
I've walked by this place hundreds of times and seriously regret not going in sooner. great beer selection,decent pub grub, and humorous staff. they also host a bunch of community social groups and as i was told 8-10 tinder dates a week!
(4)
Rick B.
Trying my best not to show bias here, all while showing my age. As many know, English Alehouse used to be the infamous Liquid Lounge. Some of my nearest and dearest memories from college took place there, and I always (don't) remember having a great time. I mean, looking back, it was the diviest of dives, but it was always a great place to erase the memory of a dismal final exam while stepping over puddles of vomit. Ahh, college. That being said, the Alehouse is a HUGE improvement and fits nicely with the Thayer Street theme. Aestheticly speaking, they classed up the place enormously. The place has color, so much more color. The tables are nice, the bar is larger, and the back room has carpeting(!) underneath its pool table, essentially eliminating all the remains of the dungeon-like black hole that was liquid lounge. The bartenders at English Alehouse are just that; they tend bar. Not mean at all, but definitely not the friendliest around. If people want a huge list of craft beers, they'll come here. If they don't, they'll go somewhere else. I think the bartenders know that customer service is not THE deciding factor, and they either have what people want, or they don't.
(3)
Margaret L.
Incredibly slow service!!! We waited for 30 minutes for a burger and a salad!!! And the place is empty! Geez!! Not the first I receive bad service in this place!
(2)
Paul J.
I enjoyed this bar! Came with a group of friends and we snagged one of the larger high-tops in the middle of the first floor. Waiter was friendly and attentive. Larger second floor that was not being used but had plenty of potential. One thing to note about the high-tops was that they weren't originally spaced out far enough apart, resulting in my back becoming the seat-back of the woman behind me. Thanks, but not thanks. Make sure you push out the tables to an appropriate distance before hunkering down for the night at a high-top.
(4)
Linda A.
Oh darn. I've been there a couple times since and am wondering -- why do they charge for refills on soda? When you spend $2.50 per refill unknowingly, it can really add up. Especially when the soda is flat, too. You should definitely warn your customers. Wow. Also, I've tried the burgers twice now, and they have been overcooked with rock hard buns. There wasn't even any seasoning on the meat (from what I could tell). It's a shame, since other things on the menu are awesome. I really liked the shepherd's pie egg rolls, for example. I tried out the meatloaf, but it came out with floppy bacon wrapped around it, a cold center, and gravy that had completely separated. It was literally a pool of oil on my plate. How do you even send that out? We didn't end up sending it back since it took our waitress so long to come check on us. We just wanted to get out of there by the end of it all. It's too bad. I had convinced a friend to come here, but I don't think he'll ever want to come back.
(3)
Mike S.
I don't know if this is a 5 star place, but I had a 5 star experience. A lot of it had to do with the day. .. I took the pups there on a beautiful Wednesday when I was "working from home" and sat outside. The waitresses was very nice and brought a steel water bowl for the dogs immediately. I got a huge lunch that started with a beer as well as a fig and blue cheese salad. Next, i ordered the bacon wrapped meatloaf which was a bit much for lunch but I ate it all haha. I used the $5 off Lunch check in too! Sometimes I think I'm the only one who uses those because waitresses are always befuddled at first. As long as they honor it and don't look at me like a cheapskate, I'm happy. Tipped big since she hydrated and pet my pups. Always goes a long way with me!
(5)
Jodie G.
I reluctantly tried the restaurant again after a bad experience, only to have another. 20 minutes after recieving a coffee and still I didnt receive sugar. 40 minutes after ordering we still didnt have our food. It was a waste of a lunchbreak. The waitress with blue hair was absent after taking our order, which she seemed uninterested in taking in the first place. When we told them we no longer wanted the food, they became confrontational. Go to McDonalds. You'll get better service and better prices. I'll never know what the Cellar's burgers taste like. Now I remember why after working at Brown for 10 years I always avoided this place. Can I give 0 stars? I wasted part of my life yesterday.
(1)
Sofie S.
We stopped in here to have a drink. It was dead, but our bartender was phenomenal. He really made the experience here. He made a few recommendations since they didn't have my normal drink and was real sweet and funny. Would have loved to have come back, but we weren't in town long enough to.
(4)
Joseph K.
This is not a place I would return to. Overall it's a bit over priced for what you're getting. The owner is arrogant and outright obnoxious and is a king of the world. Arrogance best describes this establishment. Every time he talk about how great he is, he is he's really insulting you. If you can go to viva or kartabar or anything else on Thayer st. There you can get better service and treatment. And the crowd might be a bit classier It's one of those places where all the facilities are very well done but the management and staff are harboring a fixated mentality of victimization. Are they like going through a bitter divorce and taking it out on their patrons? Seriously check out instead the Shark on Thayer street. Andreas is definitely worth a trip. Kabob and curry, try it once.
(1)
Evan V.
It's safe to say this building was host to several shoot-downs from members of the opposite sex, throughout my early 20's. What with the sweaty pool room in the rear and the scantily clad co-eds, conning their way through round-after-round. But I'm here to talk about the current iteration, English Cellar Alehouse. Although only slightly better than it's sister restaurants - in terms of service and sight seeing - the gimmick here is most definitely the coolest. Pints and football and all types of British hooliganry. What could really be a solid place to frequent, if only there were more vege options (and easy-on-the-eyes Rolling Rock swilling c-teases). Alas, in the year 2014 Liquid Lounge is nothing more than a fading memory - entirely devoid of hook ups - but perhaps if your game is tight you will have better luck here, than I did there. Glory glory Man United.
(3)
Kristi P.
My husband is a huge fan of English Cellar Alehouse. So many beers to choose from. It reminds me of a German pub.
(5)
Liz M.
This places has changed a few times and I have to say this may be the best one yet. They have two parts to it. Upstairs is the dining room with large bar and was a bit quieter than downstairs. Downstairs is busier with a large bar also and some casual tables. Whether your in the mood for a quiet dinner or bar atmosphere this place has it covered. The epic food and extensive Drink menu is available in both rooms. Since there were a group of us we tried a few apps. The soft pretzel bites were good but the cheese dipping sauce was a little bland. Needed more spice and cheese. The shepards pie rolls were awesome. This little gems were potato and ground beef and corn stuffed into a fried egg roll served with brown gravy. Wow. Spinach artichoke dip was cheesy goodness. It came with fat pieces of tortillas that were fried. We had Asian and BBQ chicken tenders. Both were nicely sauced and tasty. My favorite app was the fig and prosciutto pizza. It was thin crust and very fresh. They were generous with it too. Lots of meat on it. Portions for the apps was small so if your just having apps You probabaly need about three to share between two people. This may be my new favorite place to go. Yummers
(5)
Samantha T.
We are here and visiting from NYC and watching NCAA semi finals. Best bartender EVER...SERAPHIM! Very happy with the service and the pizza!! Great location next to the Brown University Bookstore!!
(5)
Noah D.
Hands down the worst restaurant and bar I have ever been to. The worst. Dirty, bad service, bad food, bad decor, bad smells, bad lighting, bad music, bad attitudes, bad design... everything was horrible. I don't understand how a place like this exists.
(1)
Eric M.
Don't waste your time. Came on a Friday night for a few beers and a pizza. Was told "the dough was not ready yet" at 8pm. Huh?
(1)
Kyle S.
Whenever my friends and I decided to head over to the East Side for drinks on a Friday or Saturday night the English Cellar was always one of our first choices. Sadly though, the past few times I have been in I have been highly disaapointed in both the service and quality of this place. In one of my last trips there not only was the service horrible (our waitress barely gave us the time of day), their whole tap system was down! The only draft beer they said they had available (because we were told it was on a special line?) was Heineken. And to seal the deal I went there craving their cellar fries and our waitress informs us that the kitchen was closed early for the night... I really used to be a big fan of this place. Between having some really good food and a great beer selection this was a favorite bar of mine but they have certainly gone down hill. Hopefully they can figure things out and get back to the way they used to be. There are plenty of other great bars around Providence so it is sad to say I don't see myself coming back here anytime soon.
(1)
Glen W.
Friendly staff, cool atmosphere. Get the honey mustard BBQ Zingers...delicious! Tons of draft beer options. Go to the bathroom at home, the men's room smells like the gym locker room at Woonsocket Middle. Not the one they use either, the old one that was probably decommissioned in the 40's.
(4)
Song J.
The food is actually just mediocre but we came here on a Sunday night when they played geeks who drink which was pretty fun even though we didn't know many of the answers. Who cares! We named our team the dunnos. The food is of big portions. Fish and chips is pretty good but the philly cheese steak is just so-so.
(4)
Laurie B.
Great food and staff! We sat inside around 9:45 on Saturday. Great glass of Pinot Noir and my company got a round of beer. I ordered the clam chowder doe the English side and they order the calamari from the Coco Pazzo side. The chowder was huge! You can split it with 2 or 3 people. They ate ALL of the calamari which has a sweet chili sauce. For dinner I got a caprese salad which had a sweet balsamic glaze which was a nice change. The boys got burgers which were completely devoured. It was nice and air conditioned inside. Very clean. Very professional staff.
(5)
Kendra N.
Would have received 4 stars but they kept forgetting our order. We went there on NYE and the place was very slow. We ordered a bunch of apps which were amazing! The shepards pie egg roll and pretzels were a favorite. The first order of apps the kitchen forgot to make one of them so it came out later, the second order of apps we placed, they again forgot to make one of the apps. For a place that wasn't busy that was surprising, two identical mistakes for the same party. But overall the apps were delicious just wish they were more organized.
Gross sticky seats, no paper towels in the bathroom, jalapeno poppers with an frozen icy core, and a waitress who visited the table twice in over two hours. I will never go here again...
(1)
Chintan M.
Good beer selection and a fun place to hangout in their cellar, but upstairs is too stuffy and their food is subpar.
(3)
Bethany L.
Hands down worst service in providence. I came in with a smile and left with clenched teeth and furrowed brow. From the get go the bar tender, wearing his best false eyelashes, appeared annoyed to be waiting on anyone but his friends. When I asked him if they had a full kitchen, he rolled his eyes and said they have beer too. I ignored his pretentious behavior and asked to see a menu. Asked for a cider and fries. Cider took a few minutes and the fries took almost twenty five minutes to come out. I was half way done with my cider (still sans fries) when I asked to close out. He still charged me for the fries...that weren't there!!!! Three minutes after he delivered the fries without apology, I was asked to move to the end of the bar to make room for more people. Walked out and will never be back.
(1)
Devon D.
The beer selection at this restaurant is excellent. The service is also very good, unless they get too busy. The food is okay. I ordered a cheesesteak and it was disappointing. The steak was dry, the cheese was suspect and the roll was huge. I still like this place for its beer, but I am not a huge fan of its food.
(2)
Geoff P.
Fantastic beer selection, which is what providence needs. The food is great, but the service can be extremely slow on busy nights.
(4)
Allison R.
I have never been to the English cellar before, all of my friends told me it was a place to go if and only if I wanted to feel like an old broad. But it was late on a Sunday afternoon, raining, the RISD museum had the most interesting floor closed for renovations and I had already made my date walk up to Thayer street in the unseasonable weather. Unsure of where else to go (I have had nightmarish experiences at bars on Thayer....) and in desire of a drink or two (ok, total count was 4) I suggested the Cellar, with the caveat that I had never been there, so please don't hold it against me. I will drink anything, and try any beer. My date isn't a big drinker and was a bit overwhelmed by the list and just sort of wanted something plain (pbr, gansett, something...) he continually inquired about beers and our poor server kept coming back that they were out of it. Finally he found a shandy to drink...then it turns out he got the last one. After more painful debate he switched to Sam Summer. For a place with such a big beer list, you would think that they would at least inform the servers of what they no longer have on tap, or give a run down of what is not there/in stock. Easier to remember say 10 beers they don't have then running back and forth. After a couple drinks we determined it was now late enough to attempt to eat. My date is a vegetarian, I try to follow a pescatarian diet when I am not traveling and stuffing my face with BBQ when the time and place is right. The menu for the cellar has nothing really appetizing, all heavy british fare. The coco pazzo menu was equally as unappealing, plus we wanted to be a little more adult than pizza and beer. Frustrated my date ordered a Caesar Salad and decided not to inquire about the contents of the dressing and I ordered a beet and arugula salad. Our server came by several times to try and remember our orders and a while later we were presented with what we would have thought would be full size salads....but were actually side salads. For the price, that was a bit frustrating. The beers were quite expensive too. Little did we know it was Trivia night, wooo! Tables filled up quickly and we were debating on joining but figured with only 2 people we didn't have a shot in hell of winning. Trivia was so easy. Had we competed we would have won, or at least tied. The two of us knew every answer, it was also completely weird that for the pop culture questions they would play something related to the icon/performer. Suddenly Trivia was over and the place completely cleared out. We were the only two left in the joint, and it was around 930. I nervously went to the bathroom (which is horrid and really scary and the ladies room should not be around the corner) and my date anxiously asked if we had over stayed our welcome. They were scrubbing walls and mopping the floor like the place was closing up for the night. Apparently they just take advantage of the place being a ghost town after trivia, and pointed out it was a Sunday night as well.
(2)
Luis N.
The salads are definitely not fresh. The wings super dry and without flavor. The quality is very far from matching the price.
(2)
Greg M.
The reviews about the service here are pretty much correct. It's slow, and most servers will just outright ignore you. However, the burger I had was very good, the crinkle fries were perfect, and the beers weren't bad (though the servers weren't much help with suggestions). And more to the point, it's in a fantastic location right by Brown University, and they have several tables outside where you can just hang out and watch the students go by (it's across from the Brown Bookstore). The weather was perfect and I was pretty dang happy just sitting there for a while. I will say that the one guy server, once he found me, was actually pretty good. But I'd already stood around inside for about 7 minutes trying to find anyone to sell me food and beer or tell me how that might be done.
(3)
K F C.
Stopped in this little spot for a drink our first night in Providence. Some fun boozy infusions and good beer selection. We didn't have the food but seemed like traditional pub fare. Fun diner-y atmosphere with a laid back vibe, but in the good way. The best part of this place by far, however, was Humberto the amazing bartender. His drinks were great but his humor was better and he had us laughing and chatting and staying longer than we intended because we didn't want to leave!! We had so much fun hanging out with him and added bonus: his makeup was way on point. Humberto we will be back for another visit next time we are in town!!! Xo
(5)
Samuel F.
First time at the Althouse. Went with a friend who swore that the basement was good. We ended up on the first floor though. Things hit off poorly. They couldn't find a second menu for us. Wasnt even a full joint. When we got served, they didny have apples for the turkey, Apple, brie. So we try for Mac n cheese bites. Two minutes later she says they ran out. When the order arrived, we were duped. Alas, the meals were not ours, but rather meant for the table next to us (they ordered the same thing). Upstairs not so much. The downstairs pub is awesome though.
(2)
Leela S.
This is my favourite place to grab a drink on Thayer. Admittedly, I'm a lagerhead, and I love their tap selection. My favourites are Old Speckled Hen and Boddington's, and I switch it up with their rotating tap selection too--especially when there's a pumpkin ale to be had. It's a great place to spend an evening drinking with friends, with fun music playing in the background. The food is not bad either, and they have specials almost every night of the week. Tuesday's $10 burger+pint night is definitely my favourite deal. But even otherwise, I recommend their bangers and mash if you're looking for some great pub fare to chow on while drinking. Oh, and the wings are absolutely fantastic. If you prefer your wings boneless, they offer them as "zingers" as well. If you're looking for a pub with both a good beer and food selection and a relaxed atmosphere to spend an evening out, I recommend this one.
(4)
Thomas F.
Absolutely love this place. Best beer selection around. All of the bartenders are friendly and knowledgable. Tasha especially, she treats me and my girl like old friends every time we go. I always bring visiting family and friends and recommend it to anyone. I always feel bad for asking the bartenders to go upstairs (usually where the best beer is) but they always make sure to let you know it's their pleasure. This place is awesome.
(5)
Vern D.
Great spot! Lots if great beer choices. I've been at least 5 times. Each time, the food, the beer, and the bartenders were great! If you like beer, try it out.
(4)
Kate A.
We worked hard to overlook the consistently HORRIBLE SERVICE years ago (used to come weekly for a long time) because we liked the concept but ultimately couldn't stand it. Forget table-side, good luck getting a beer in under 15 min if you're within a foot from a bartender. Just tried again today, years later, and now remember why we left. Amazingly, it's worse than before. Moved from a booth to the pool table, left server $30 for booth tab, just beers, which server took and agreed to keep serving us while we were shooting pool. We later got the full bill again and she claimed she never received the cash we handed over. So many great restaurants in Providence, don't waste your time (or twice your money). Update: they tried to charge us even more, lost one of our credit cards, and when we explained the situation the manager yelled at us repeatedly. The other patrons who observed were nice though and came over to share their own experiences of terrible service this evening. On the way out, another server mocked us loudly as we walked away. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to read the other reviews about the service and suspect financial transactions, our experience tonight is far from unique and we would like to save others the frustration and expense. An unacceptably long wait time is the best service you can hope for here.
(1)
Amanda R.
I love beer so I was really excited to try this place, but I was terribly dissappointed. Prices are above average, draft selection is pitiful, and the decor is trite and seems like it's a set from a school play. Can't vouch for the food, but since half of the reviews on this page appear to be fake, I'm assuming the management isn't very confident in it. If you're looking for an east side pub, try doherty's in pawtucket or the wild colonial.
(2)
Krystal S.
I ate here the other day because the location is convenient, but the food was way undercooked. I ordered food "to go" and though the waitstaff was extremely friendly, and I appreciated that maybe they rushed for a To-Go order, when I ask for a well-done burger- I don't want it to look barely cooked when I bite into it. I was already home when I finally realized my food was not edible, so I just gave up. I have gone back once since and the experience was fine, but then again I intentionally ordered safer food choices.
(2)
Lyle P.
Albeit nice to have a decent beer selection and outdoor seating on a lovely night in providence with my best cousin and a beautiful woman; I had a very poor experience here although the location is nice. 1. They were out of 2 of 5 beers the we ordered. 2. Waitress knew nothing about beer and her pen did not work. (She was, however, good at smiling, dressing attractively, and being polite!) 3. My LaChoufe Houblon was NOT THE 750ml BOTTLE but merely an 11.5 oz. for $13.00 !!
(2)
Heather B.
I tried this place out with a few friends on my birthday eve a couple weeks ago and I loved it simply for the ridiculously amazing drink selection and the helpfulness of our waiter in assisting with our drink choices. After we had our first round, he suggested that we try a bottle of J.K. Scrumpy's Winter Solstice Hard Cider, which they had about 34 bottles left of from when it was in season, despite it not being on the menu. One of my friends bought us a bottle, and three of us shared it. It was amazing and we tipped our waiter generously. I would give this place a higher rating, but the night I was there, the kitchen was out of service (without a sign on the door or notation on the menu or anything, or notice from our waiter until we asked about a food menu), the music on the stereo was really not conducive to the atmosphere, and the bathrooms were sub-par in terms of cleanliness.
(3)
Paul M.
A bunch of friends and I went here to celebrate my birthday, it was a 13 party table but we had called ahead in advance to let them know we were coming on a Saturday night, etc. First off - the beer menu is amazing... but right then and there we hit a problem, about 6 of the beers that people ordered were out of stock - total math was 6/9 different types of beer (not everyone was drinking) were apparently out of stock. I should also mention before my next critique that the place was remarkably dead for a Saturday night - it was my party of 13 and 2 other parties of 2 in the entirety of the pub. That being said, the service was remarkably terrible, the waitress didn't end up writing anything down and constantly kept forgetting both drinks and food. At one point after she brought out all the food she asked two of my friends if they'd like something, one of them pointed out that he'd in fact already ordered when everyone else did and was still waiting for his Shephard's pie - his girlfriend just didn't bother wondering if her mac and cheese would even be brought out... after 3 hours of us being there it was not - but at least they didn't try and bill us for it. Overall the wait-staff is absolutely terrible, I understand we were a large party but it was absolutely dead with 3 waitresses on only one helping us and if you're going to not write down orders then at least remember them - no one is going to judge you if you have to write something down to get it correctly (or at least I won't). For the level of business they seemed to be experiencing it would have been nice to not wait up to 30 minutes for the beer we ordered between trying to flag the waitress down from texting on her phone to waiting to hear that "sorry we're out of x". I should also mention that this place is NOT cheap - at least on the menu there is a good beer selection (if they have it that is) but the prices are definitely geared towards brown/risd students and those who can afford the inflated east side residences. That being said I'd say you're better off exploring beer via beeradvocate.com and yankee spirit liquors in Attleboro, MA for a cheaper and more efficient experience.
(2)
Derek T.
For a bar with so many beers i was a bit disapointed that they only had a few on tap. There is a lot of choice bit, for me, it lacked a bit of soul. Also if you are going to call yourself an English bar you need to know what the difference is between English vs Brittish vs Irish.... just saying!
(2)
Greg S.
Just because a place doesn't have a ton of drafts doesn't mean the beer selection isn't good. This place has over 200 bottles, I've had over 80 so far. Someone compared this place to Wick Pub? Not even close. Wick has half the amount of bottles and half of those are crappy domestics like Bud, Bud Light and even awful imports like Corona and Heineken. Not that those beers aren't at the Cellar, but they have SO many more, better beers. The food is good for a pub. I wouldn't go there just for the food, but when you combine it with great beers, good atmosphere and great bar service, you get 5 stars. And actually, if you go for their beer dinners to the food is unbelievable. And to that dude complaining about $2.50 for a soda...I've worked in restaurants a lot and that's the standard soda price at a sit-down restaurant, you just gotta deal with it. Maybe don't order a soda at a beer bar?
(5)
Lucy G.
I came here with some friends after dinner and I must say I was surprised at how much I enjoyed being in a cold dark basement. I am not really a Beer person but I had some Cider (cant think of the name sorry guys it was a sweet one though) and it was pretty good. They told me that a lot of the beer offered you don't find at a lot of other places so thats a plus. The waitress we had was nice and fast with the orders. You could play pool in the back if it was open and its just a very chill place to go and relax and get a buzz. I will be going back for lunch and do an update. And if your there definitely get a picture inside the red telephone box....I wonder how much it is to make a collect call???
(3)
Paul S.
My son and I were touring Brown and RISD and dropped in here as my random choice. It had the look of places I've liked in the past so we took a chance and went for it for lunch. I have to say, it was beyond my expectations! I had a bowl of local clam chowder and a glass of ale on tap. Yes! Just great, with lots of good sized clam chunks, buttery taste and all. My son had the fish and chips made from Atlantic cod. The fish and the chips were superb! Whoever they have in the kitchen knows how to do this! The fish batter was light, thin and crispy - almost a bit like Japanese tempura, but with the slightly heavier English spin on it. The fries were great and the table had the appropriate vinegar to go with it. In all, delicious! The staff was just great from reception to meal service. Some of the reviewers took exception to the attentiveness, but I thought it was about right and that I enjoyed the sincere interest they seemed to take in our college search tour. Since they are from the area, they had intelligent comments on activities in the area and such. This is not as common as one might hope in a lot of restaurants nowadays. To cap it off, we went to have a "father-son pool game" moment in the back room. The table is in good shape and just costs a dollar a game. The cues and equipment are all maintained, too. Nice. As we played, we met Bert, the owner, and had a chance to chat with him. Apparently, the restaurant has just recently been changed from the "Liquid Lounge Sports Grill" to the Alehouse. It didn't originally have a full meal menu and it was pretty much a standard sports bar. The redecoration, giant beer selection and food are all new. I think they've done a great job for the amount of time the place has been around and told this to Bert. Come here, you won't regret it!
(5)
Josh F.
The euphemism "good enough for government work" comes to mind here. This place is good enough to come back to but not one to come to on a consistent basis unless you're in to the beer menu (which is pretty decent). Not the best beer menu in the city, but certainly respectable. The food is so-so.
(3)
Peter G.
In a dark basement - good English comfort food and a wide range of beers. Sat at the bar - an obnoxious couple occupied 4 bar stools. The girl was sat on one stool with her legs on another and her shopping on a third stool. She saw we were looking to sit at the bar and never moved. Bartender shoulda moved em. We sat at the end of the bar next to another obnoxious female who had one of those piercing loud high pitched voices that gets everywhere. We ate quick and left. We'll be back - but probably wont be sitting at the bar again.
(4)
Laura S.
Out of all of the bars I've tried in Providence, this is hands-down the best for showing up with a big group. I've been here on a few occasions with groups of 8-16, and it's the kind of place that can really handle a group of this size. They have nice large tables where you can sit but that also allow for standing, so you can wander and mingle - that way you're not stuck talking to the 2-3 people around you and missing out on getting to even see the rest of the people you came with! The menu has a ton of variety and you can also order from the upstairs menu. Something for everybody, at every price point! I haven't been wowed by the food, but it's definitely solid. The drink list is exhaustingly extensive, there is no excuse for not finding something you'll enjoy. The food isn't good enough that I'd be tempted to go just for dinner, but anytime I have more than 3 friends who want to get together for drinks and food, this is where we're heading!
(4)
Jennifer E.
The English Cellar is one of those places that seems cooler than it actually is. It has a good location (right off of Thayer) which is a short walking distance from my apartment. It has a decent beer selection (boasting 200 plus beers, although only about 8-10 on draft). On the other hand, on the weekend evenings, when all the college kids are out partying, it gets loud, boisterous (and not in the good way). I don't mind a place being loud because of people having a good time or if there is a good live band playing. I do, however, mind when the management is playing crappy 90s rap music so loud you can't have a conversation with the person right next to you. There was table service in the bar, but our waitress never came back after stating she would give us a few minutes to look over the beer menu. The person busing our tables was rude in a non verbal way. The beer is also pretty expensive, but I excpected that at an establishment aimed at wealthy college kids. I will probably be back because it is convenient and they are open until 2am, but it is definitely not the prime choice if you are looking for a real English pub or to have a conversation with friends. If you are looking for a place to drink expensive beers and watch college kids get hammered, then you are in luck. I am giving the Cellar three stars instead of two only because both times I have gone have been on weekend nights and I do believe I would have had a different experience on a quieter night. They also get an extra star for a great beer selection and the fact that the manager is very friendly.
(3)
Brian P.
I've been here a few times, and depending on when you go, it is two completely different bars. Some nights it's a quiet bar where you can hang out, drink, and have a conversation with the person next to you. Other nights, it is college bar central, where you wait forever to get served, have to elbow your way to the bar, and the noise level is horrendous. They have a huge selection of beers, and the staff is friendly and quite knowledgeable.
(3)
Abby M.
So on my first trip to The English Cellar Alehouse i had just returned from London, which is like a second home to me, and was excited to discover this place. Things that were great: They had a variety of ciders available... and I'm not talking your run of the mill Woodchuck. Things that did not excite me... my "Big Ben Burger"... served on an english muffin... I mean really??? Trip #2 left some of us baffled as they do have an extensive beer list but we had to go through a few of our top choices before we got one that they actually had either in stock or on tap. I tried the chix pot pie this time... and definitely never will again. Also... why would you ever need a kobe beef hot dog??? Regardless, go for the cider, the drinks, the friendliness of the wait staff, the trivia that they have EVERY Sunday night at 7:30pm... and try to eat before you get there :) It is defiantly more of a drinking place :)
(3)
Meg M.
It seems everyone that has reviewed this place just kind of randomly stumbled apon it and I am no different. Came here during the holiday season looking for a place to have a casual supper that wasn't college budget fare. Decided to check out the pub and really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere. This is definately a cozy winter nook, not somewhere I would go in the summer when the sun is shining. Had the spinach dip with the fried pita chips for an appetizer and it was really good, although very heavy. For my meal I had the fish and chips (had to get something British obviously), which was awesome and a huge portion. My bf had the chowder and a chicken special that were both decent though not great . He got outordered on this round. Awesome beer list with an impressive selection from all over the globe and the region. Service was pleasant and the pool table outback looked like a fun spot to be on a weekend winter night out. Next time want to come back to get my drink on and globe trot the beer list.
(4)
Sophie R.
my sister told me i should check this place out, based on the beer selection. they have over 200 beers!! pretty sure they beat out the muse tavern and must hold some kind of record. they even have organic and gluten free which is nice. the ambiance is just a little underwhelming. wish it were a little more interesting and more english pub styled. food is typical fried pub fare. nothing special. but if you're just going to experience an inconceivably vast selection of fermented grains and fruits, hey, you're in the right place.
(3)
R P.
This place was suggested to me by a friend whose opinion I tend to trust, so I stopped in for a bite since I was in the area. The place was open and inviting. The beer selection impressive. The menu consists of English favorites like Fish and Chips and Bangers and Mash. The Fish and Chips were tasty, proper English-style. Young's Double Chocolate Stout on tap, and things like Boddington's. Lots of bottles to choose from if you don't fancy a selection on tap. Definitely a place I'll visit again!
(4)
Jeff M.
Never worry about running out of beer choices at this place. The atmosphere is unique, the food is alright, simple menu.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Craig A.
Has a large beer selection on paper, though the first three I attempted to order were all gone. Wife tried to order sangria, which surprisingly they were also out of. The food was okay, nothing special. Service was sub-par and we were the only people in the upper portion of the restaurant. Staff spent plenty of time looking out the window for extended periods of time, or playing on their phones while the manager or owner sat at the corner of the bar on his laptop. This was the 2nd time I've been and won't be back. I'll spend my $ somewhere it's more appreciated.
(2)Katy A.
Went on Saturday night and when we walked in and stood to be seated, no one acknowledged our group of 4. Went to seat ourselves and were chased down by a waitress who was reactant to allow us to sit in a booth for 5 when we were only a group of 4. Ordered waters while we deeded on beer and when the water came, one was delivered in a dirty glass that tasted of sour beer and soap. Gross. Tried to order beer from the extensive menu but we were told they were out of most of what was listed. Ended up with some basic porters since there weren't many options. Truffle fries were very plain with only the top layer of the serving having received any seasoning. My arugula salad from upstairs was quite good though. Annoyed to have been served in a dirty glass, and have them out of so many beers. I doubt we will be back. There are better selections and food elsewhere.
(1)Joie S.
I feel the need to update this since I've been so many times and just really feel like lately, this place has gone way down hill. They are constantly out of beers and the service has just become downright terrible. The bartenders don't even smile at you, nevermind make any conversation or ask if you need anything. Drinks and food take forever. I'm not sure what happened but I really hope it gets better because I used to love this place!!
(1)Paige M.
We visited English Cellar Alehouse twice. The first time we had the pretzels and fried Mac and cheese as apps. Meatloaf and pot pie for entrees and we absolutely loved everything. We sat upstairs which had a nice atmosphere.The mixed drinks were good and the bartender was extremely knowledgable about all the beers. The second time we went we got burgers and a few sandwiches. We enjoyed our experience but not as much as the first time. We definitely liked the entrees more on our first visit. Overall: great prices , friendly staff, delicious food and drinks
(4)Sharang D.
It's a great place to hang out with your friends. They have a vast beer selection! There is a pool table in the back. The interior is pretty cool. Good for groups. Gets busy every weekend when the semester is on!
(4)Gina C.
Came here looking for an afternoon snack and beer. The bartender suggested the White Electric stout. It was fantastic pair with the Mac & Cheese bites. All in all, a delicious stop.
(5)Carra C.
Went here as part of RI Food Fights Lord of the Wing Tour. Fantastic beer selection. We tried 3 different kinds of wings, all very good. Also got the pretzel nuggets which were really good. Was not very busy at all and it did take a little while for our food to come out considering but our server was fine. I'll go back for sure.
(4)Chris L.
This was a great place to go. One thing I liked is the music was not too loud that it was hard to hear your friend. The place looks like an old English pub and has a good vibe. In addition this is only one of two places that sells spitfire. Just so you know. I am not sure the prices because my friend paid but that would be one suggestion is to have prices somewhere.
(4)Michael M.
Mediocre at best... I would honestly just go here for the beer only as the food isn't that good.
(2)Jean F.
I love this place! A friend and I went for dinner (I had been a few times previously for drinks - they have a fantastic beer selection) and they've redone and opened the space to create a better flow. It used to be very much just a pub but now there's a more extensive menu, more servers and they've opened a sister restaurant upstairs and have created a staircase between both restaurants. So, we went for dinner and were told we could order off either restaurants menu. That opened up my food choices from the pub sandwich/burger to all sorts of tapas, pizzas and different entrees. I ended up with the tuna carpaccio pizza and my friend got the lobster mac n' cheese. My pizza was delicious. The tuna was super fresh and of great quality and the pizza (for a mere $8) was a very decent size. My friends lobster mac ($16) she said was good but I was shocked by the size. Enough for dinner, but don't think you're going to take home leftovers. It was shockingly small for a dinner size portion. The service was okay, not amazing but I've certainly experienced worse. I think they'll figure out the appropriate wait staff situation soon and that will get worked out. All in all I think both the English Cellar Alehouse and upstairs newby Coco Pazzo are wonderful additions to the hill and I look forward to returning.
(4)Sarah T.
I have been meaning to write this review for a few months. My boyfriend and I made the biggest mistake eating here. So, we walk in and take a seat. The server comes over and tries to take our drink order. I tell her I need a few to decide which beer I want and we order waters. Finally, she comes back and we decide to put in an appetizer and at the end I open my mouth to tell her which beer I want, but she walks away instead. Aggravated, I decide to stick to my water, since this girl is young and seems very inexperienced and unhappy. Before arriving, my boyfriend and I had viewed their menu online. I had picked out what I wanted, but was disappointed when it was listed $2.50 cheaper online. Also, some of the items we had been looking forward to trying, like their Parmesan Cellar Fries, were not on the menus in our hands, yet were listed online. My boyfriend ordered a burger with bbq sauce and bacon, no onions and asked if they still made the Parmesan fries, which are supposed to come with herbs, cheese, and truffle oil. The server said of course. I ordered the Chicken pot pie. Burger comes out and is swimming in onions and his fries are regular. So, he stops our server and tells her. She takes the meal back and comes back with a burger with scraped off onions, great, but swimming in KETCHUP and these disgusting looking fries that literally look like she took a shaker of Kraft grated cheese and dumped half of it on the fries!! Then she says, "Here you go, is that too much cheese for you?" And I swear she was smirking. They looked and tasted disgusting. I do not understand why she didn't just tell us that they didn't make those cellar fries anymore. Before she left, I asked for another water, which she brought over without asking how our mediocre meals were. My boyfriend couldn't eat his fries and his burger was half burnt. He finishes his meals no matter where we go, so it was surprising when I say that he did not finish. I was not a fan of mine either, but when I went to take a drink of my water I was APPALLED. It was DIRTY and tasted horrible!! Who serves someone dirty water?! Needless to say, she did not come back around to ask how our meals were and it took us 15 minutes to get the check so we could get the hell out of there. I wrote an email stating how disappointed I was with the service and the food and got no reply. I just checked their website and they did end up changing the menu and prices, so I am sure someone saw my email. I will NEVER go back to this establishment, not even to grab a beer!!
(1)Monika S.
26 Beers on tap including Guinness and Bass perfect now that brown is out on break! Come on down! Great bartender - Nicole.
(3)Laura C.
Perfect if you're looking for a comfortable place to have some pub food and drink a couple of beers. It's in a basement, so cell service isn't all that great, but the server's service is wonderful. I highly recommend the Bangers and Mash along with a cold beer.
(4)Lamont C.
Do not go here. My experience here for a simple mediocre dinner after a wake with a friend has resulted in this company attacking me because they refuse to admit they held double the amount of my bill blaming it on me and the bank. There are a lot of elements to a dining experience to include payment. The dining experience itself was as I said mediocre as the waitress was more interested in chatting with her college friends than attending to her customers which were two. The situation was so bad a manager had to come over and get our drinks; and of course due to a lack of miscomunication the waitress gave us another round that we never ordered and did not drink. The wanabee waitress took my debit, and the next day when I checked my account the establishment held double the amount of the bill on my account, after a day of talking to the bank who explained it could only happen at the point of sale three calls to the same manager who had an important delivery coming in that day and could not get to my issue at that time resulting in once again another inconvenience for the customer who had to call back later. Now I had the money returned and thought the issue was resolved until weeks later I get a sarcastic email from CoCo something management company stating there was no way they could have been at fault. No one signed the email and once I asked for a name another dope inserted himself in the conversation once again stating they could not be at fault,,,accusing me of being unreasonable when I was minding my own business and they reached out to start a conflict with me . So the service at the establishment was lousy from beginning to end. I will be back on Thayer Street and if you want a dining experience without headaches do not go here, there are plenty of other choices. My consumer experience playing within yelps guidelines was horrible............
(1)Melissa K.
Quite possibly the slowest service I have ever received, however the food was great. We went with a group and everyone was beyond pleased with their meals. After getting part way through lunch the chef came out and personally apologized for the wait (even though we had not said anything about) this made me feel that he was really attentive to what was going on in his place. Beer selection was good and the entire place had a nice English feel with out being tacky.
(4)C V.
English fail house! Quite possibly the worst service I've had. I don't even know where to begin with our experience. I've been in the service industry for over 15 years and I was blown away with how terrible the service was. Dousing the caesar salad in cheese to make up for lack of dressing, which they ran out of but I still had to pay $7for. The batter and chips with a hint of fish was.... Lets just say England would be ashamed. Oh and waiting 15min to ask for our change, which I received my 20 that I put down right back. The only positive remark was the beer. Sorry but we won't be back
(1)Tessa Y.
I love love love love love the cellar. the service is awesome, my server malea (sorry spelling) was so sweet and knowledgeable. My food came out so quickly even though it was busy. And it was delicious. For beer I got a two roads white IPA, but they also have a dogfish head 120 minute IPA on tap. Which I've never seen here in ri. An amazing experience, a staple of providence for sure.
(5)Regina F.
Ever want to pretend that you and Gordon Ramsay are old chums? Yeah. All of the time. But, sadly, that has nothing to do with ECA...the ECA and Gordon Ramsay have nothing in common save for a little bit of Brit undertones. Bringing back the theme bars of the '80s, the English Cellar is a fine place to grab a quick drink and a Scottish egg to soak up all of the quick drinks you'll inevitably down. It's less pricey than the standard - erm - OTT places on Thayer, but it's more pricey than the ultimate Brown U dive (the GCB). The atmosphere is conducive to beers, and I think there's some sort of pinball/foosball thing somewhere in the back room - which is a much less theme-y place, and much more just dirty, unappealing 1980s than fun.
(3)Evelyn S.
I've been here twice. Both times service was really great and it may take a while but you can see that it gets packed very quickly. Beer was a little pricey and quite a few had run out when we got there (~9PM), but the atmosphere is great and I've no real complaints. On Mondays, they have 40 cent wings (need I say more) which are pretty decent. Haven't had a chance to try more than just a couple of appetizers but all were very good. I have really enjoyed it and recommend the basement for a chill night out.
(4)Austin W.
So bad, it's almost bad in a good way.... Just not quite! Often smells really bad in there, wings are good, drinks are fairly priced, decor is pretty horrendous. Winds me up that they use the British flag for the English Cellar! They have tv's for sports but most of them are partially obscured!
(3)Matt C.
Great food with a great beer selection! The waitresses are very attentive. My favorite place on Thayer!
(5)Eric P.
Shine yo shoes goven'r? More like pick your pockets!...by a group of thieving children run by an old man who sings and dances...on the set..of Oliver Twist! English cellar, not sure what to make of it. Staff was kind to me, but it's just too damn expensive. I mean you're a bar on Thayer st, how much does it cost to polish your luscious wooden finish on your bar? I'll probably update this review when I go back some time, but $4.50 for a Gansett is just cahrazyyy to me. I have to pay a dollar tip on that too! That's beyond even Boston prices. 50 cents more and I could of bought a six pack across the street! This was my real turn off, buying two gansetts thinking they would be semi cheap, and realizing I could of gotten a microbrew for probably 50 cents more. I can't even come up with anything witty or amusing to put in this review because I'm so turned off by their prices.
(2)Zoë R.
This was the worst service I've ever gotten. We had to get our own water, our own utensils and ask for 35 minutes for ranch and blue cheese for our wings. By the time this all happened it was 45 minutes later and I asked for the manager who then relayed the messaged to our even ruder server saying he comped 12 wings. Keep in mind we ordered over 100 wings and there were 7 of us. Such bs service I've never been more upset.
(1)Brittany S.
Horrible! I didn't even get to try the food here because I felt so uncomfortable. This restaurant decided to participate in the Lord of the Wings competition which they and 20 other restaurants give tickets for 6 free wings with no purchase necessary and no table limit listed. Of course they try to upsell their services to you but me and my guest just wanted the wings. We had two tickets. We ordered and our waiter left and all was well. He came back to confirm what type of wings we wanted and then about 20 minutes later the waiter told us they had no wings and upon that he also told us we would have been charged for blue cheese and an 18% gratuity. Considering we were not even going to get food him telling us this seemed as though he assumed we would not tip and I have never been so insulted. Especially after wasting 30 minutes of my life at this awful establishment.We fully planned on giving our waiter a tip that would match what we would have tipped had our meal been full price but now we will never return! We both work in the service industry and know just how important gratuity is.I would give this zero stars if I could.
(1)Libby F.
Embarrassed: how I felt after inviting a coworker who was new in town and wanted a beer to this place. I had been here before over the past few years and never had a problem, but 2 weeks ago had the worst service I've had in Providence. They changed the menu to remove the turkey burger, my friend asked for the beer sampler (advertised on the website) and was told we don't do that, sorry. And the waitress knew nothing about the beer and didn't seem to think that was a problem. On top of it she spent most of the time chatting with another patron about going out when her shift was done. I will not be going back, which is too bad because I'm sure this waitress isn't long for this job. This company also owns Coco Pazzo, which I visited when it opened and never wanted to go back to, and Succotash, which is actually great. Go there, of on the hill try Kartabar on Thayer.
(1)Hilary H.
If we'd only had beer, this place would have gotten four solid stars - great selection, good service (although the waitress did regale us with her hate for PVD), and fun specials. We were enjoying our beers so much, we decided to order some nibblies to hold us over for the afternoon. The food was practically inedible. We ordered some fries that were starchy, mushy, and just barely warm - they actually reminded me a lot of microwaved fries. We also had some frittola that were actually cold cuts wrapped in a wonton and they were just not good - pretty bad, really. I shan't be ordering food from here again, but I may go just for the brews. The decor was fine - they really ran with the English theme and have the faux leather-bound books to show for it. The bathroom and billiards areas are scary, but I can't really expect more from a college bar.
(2)J H.
I suppose it was compelling to see a reviewer that had waited months. I to have been thinking about reviewing this location also, but have not. I wouldn't say I frequent the English Cellar (now they call themselves the Alehouse as well) but have been there enough to see some ups & downs. The last few months and especially on my last visit the week before Thanksgiving, all fantastic. The experiences were with three different servers. All three very knowledgeable about Craft Brews, and all there enough for my needs but not overly aggressive. And the food: they replaced their menu and had several new offerings. Have had the homemade jalapeno poppers, very nice take on a classic. I was talked into the Pastrami by their manager who raved about its slow smoked preparation. The flavor was off the charts and size ridiculous! I had a good chunk to take home. Talked beer with two different managers who know there suds as well. Beer selection is unmatched in the city. Restrooms downstairs are outdated and when I took my family chose upstairs...a little more bright & cheery. Keep it up. We'll be back.
(5)Andria T.
I do not quite know what to make of this place. They get huge points for the extensive beer list and for having Young's Double Chocolate Stout on tap, but service is weird, the decor is a bit over the top and it gets crazy loud in there. I had friends visiting from out of town recently, and we just wanted to sit outside and drink a beer. English Cellar was perfect for that. They have beer and tables outside, which is all we wanted. Here's what I don't get though: I've been here other times, sat outside, and been served outside. This time around, and we were there Friday and Saturday night, we sat outside, but had to go get our own drinks. There was a server for outside, but she never once came up to our table to ask if we wanted anything, even though she waited on people sitting next to us. What does a person have to do to get table service outside? It wasn't a huge inconvenience to go get rounds, but I would have happily tipped well to have someone do that for me so I could have uninterrupted time with my friends. Also, there are a ton of staff waiting outside to card you. Maybe it gets a bit brawly in there later at night, but when we showed up at around 9pm on a Friday, there were four guys hanging out outside, blocking the steps, and I wasn't 100% sure that they all worked there. It was a bit off-putting, but not as off-putting as the fact that all of the employees who smoked would flick their cigarette butts out into the street. There was no ashtray anywhere, and bar patrons did the same thing. NO! You do not do that! Littering is so 1985--what the hell? We sat there for three hours and just watched cigarette butt after cigarette butt get flicked out onto Angell Street. That make me kind of never want to go there again. English Cellar Alehouse, get one of those cigarette chimney things, littering is not ok!
(2)Stephanie M.
I love their beer menu. They're the only place in Providence to have Innis & Gunn all the time. Their food.... well, let's not talk about their food. Don't come hungry, is all I can say. (Eh, they're British. I got about what i expected - mushy, overdone, bland.) They do have alllll the beers, reasonably priced. I haven't seen the bad service so many reviews mention, finding instead unusually knowledgeable waitstaff who seem comfortable with their stock and capable of making good recommendations.
(4)Kimberly D.
Used to like this place a few years back. Good food and drinks. Then the menu changed a bit. My favorite meals disappeared. Have been here about three times in the past four months, all unsatisfactory. The first time we ordered Caesar salads that were soggy and drenched in dressing. When we let the waitress know this she did nothing. The second time I came for a work meeting. We ordered apps outside as there was a discount for "cellar dweller." Our server was insanely slow. We waited forever for our check and even longer for the waitress to take the payment. We had to bring it up to the manager. It was then we learned that you had to join the cellar dweller club to get the half price appetizers. We just wanted to leave. I went there a few weeks ago with my roommate and we had another bad experience. She ordered a Captain and coke and received a tiny drink in a wine glass. We asked about the above mentioned cellar dweller club and our waitress was pretty much clueless. We moved on and ordered regular meals. My roommate ordered and sandwich with sweet potato fries and the fries came out basically black. On top of that service was slow. In my book, three strikes and your out. I won't be going back.
(2)Angela H.
So my labmates and I have been going to this place since it opened, a little over 2 years ago. It started off strong, but then things have devolved quickly. We wanted to like it *so badly.* Really. They DO have a great beer selection, but here is a sample of things that have happened to us since we've been going there: 1) A friend ordered a beer, was presented with the WRONG beer (and expensive beer) and the manager attempted to shame him into buying it, then shamed the waitress in front of all us. Ew. 2) They advertised watching the women's World Cup last summer. But then I had to plead with the staff to turn it on when I stopped by for lunch. 3) Every. Single. Time. We wait for 10 minutes to order a GD beer. Then, if we're lucky, we ONLY wait 10 minutes to pay for our check when we're ready to leave. 4) Tonight it smelled so strongly of moth balls that we were ready to leave just on account of that. Luckily, the bad service made it an easy choice. 5) Waiter: "You can have this second beer menu...but just for a little while." Really? I have wanted to like this place so badly that I haven't Yelped these bad experiences for 2 years, we just check in about 1x per month or so to see how things are. Welp, tonight we got up and left just like we did the last 3 times we've dropped in, so it's about time I shared the experience. Service SUCKS.Don't spend your money here. Spat's has a pretty decent beer list for cheap, and Paragon has a decent expensive beer list. And both of those places will wait on you at lightning speed compared to English Alehouse.
(1)Kel S.
This place was great. Loved their selection of beers. We chose this place as there were many of us celebrating the end of our masters program. We planned to sit outside, but the weather was uncooperative, so we opted for the basement, instead. We ordered several items from both the English Cellar and their sister restaurant upstairs. Everything was great. The decor is cute, but the music was a little loud, especially for happy hour. Our server was attentive and we had a great time. The only drawback was the bathroom was a bit dated and yucky. Thanks English Cellar!
(4)Nathan L.
My Fiance and I have lived in Providence for about two years now and the English Cellar has been a frequent spot for us on nights out, studying between classes and even some of there holiday parties. So we've seen a lot going on there. We love the cellar, Foods always been great, atmosphere is awesome, a great beer selection and we just love the cellar vibe. We've also eaten upstairs at Coco, we were no where near as impressed. This last time we went the food had changed a bit, still good however some of what we expected (prior to knowing the menu had changed) wasn't there like the remoulade sauce for the onion rings, this was a disappointment however everything else was great. Service was good, however we've been dozens of times and its rare that we ever have or even see previous servers. They seem to go through staff weekly, which isn't uncommon but it does show when our waiter / waitress also isn't familiar with the new menu. We also noticed that upstairs was being transformed into an additional space for the cellar. We walked upstairs to check it out and the paint was literally drying, it looks great! We cant wait to revisit and experience the new environment!
(3)Jane C.
"I am so done with that place" is what I said to a colleague who asked me if I was going to a staff event after work. They have a great location near Brown's campus, and it's probably the best choice for an end of the day gathering near Thayer street. The food is actually pretty good and you can order off the menu from the Italian restaurant upstairs as well. What bothers me is the service. They aren't particularly friendly, even if you've been there a lot and they know your face. Once I ordered one of my favorite beers only to discover that the draft was at the bottom of the barrel so I got a glass full of foam. I said I wasn't so sure about how it looked, and the server said that's how it's supposed to because it's a Nitrate beer (false). Then I discovered it had a different taste, and asked if I could replace it with something else. The server continued to insist that the problem was with my taste buds, not the beer. Even if that were true, decent customer service would mandate an immediate replacement. I've since moved away from Providence, but even if I hadn't, I'm not sure I'd go back unless I heard that things had turned around.
(2)Annamarie T.
So if you like beer this place is for you, there are soooo many beers to choose from and with such a vast selection you are sure to find one you like! Also, tried the food was pretty good, nothing special but they did have fried oreos for dessert so that was def a win! Overall, English Cellar a cool little hipster bar, and def someplace worth checking out for the beer list!
(4)Bill H.
I dropped by twice during the week while I was visiting Brown. The beer list is good, and is definitely the bar's main draw. Drink prices are reasonable, too. The staff was courteous, but at both my table and my bar-seat later in the week I found myself waiting longer than I expected. The bar's got a funky smell, and the passage between the bar and the pool tables is too small for me.
(3)Raymond K.
The Cellar, as it's known to locals, is respectably solid. For a basement bar, it is remarkably comfortable, whether you're sitting at one of the tables on the edges, at the long high tables in the middle, or at the bar. It boasts over 200 of the world's best beers, so you should be able to find whatever ale you fancy. The food is quite good for pub fare, no complaints on a gooey Lobster mac 'n' cheese or a generously-seasoned (and piping hot!) Shepherd's pie. Very attentive servers. This is a place where you can go for a hang-out session, vent about your students, or catch up with friends/family who live in Providence. That said, there are no doubt better places to visit if you are in town for a short while.
(3)Andrew H.
This place was very overpriced, service was okay, beer selection was amazing (for a price), and the food was decent. Go here to drink, not to eat. Expect good quality bottled beer with a fair selection but be prepared to pay.
(3)Jack M.
Dark basement bar with tons of beers to choose from. I tried a few I'd never heard of before and was pleasantly surprised! This place has some character too - rounded red leather couch in back with a pool table. Neat place to hang out! Don't know about the food - just drank here. But I give it a thumbs up!
(4)Holly S.
No complaints really cept it was cramped but it is a cozy pub so it's supposed to be dark and small? Right? Service good, beer just fine
(4)Melissa H.
They have a wonderfully diverse selection of beers. I was delighted to try several local and semi-local brews that are difficult to find in my home state. Our server was knowledgeable about many of the brews, which was a nice bonus. My only complaint is the bathroom: it was a dark, smelly, un-airconditioned one-seater with no windows. Boo.
(4)Robert S.
Hilary, I agree with you 100%.....the only good thing about the Cellar is the extensive beer selection...but the food is Horrible. We used to play trivia there often and many times, we would WIN, so we got gift certificates for our next visit....the one thing that I found partially edible was the Fish and Chips...otherwise anything else was just So Bad...I decided to stop going to trivia there since the prize was more of a punishment than a prize !! LOL !!!
(1)Alisa H.
Came for the beer, stayed for the beer. Great beer selection and a fun pub atmosphere.
(4)Keith F.
The food is good. I haven't really had a bad meal there yet. There beer selection is great. The waitress I've had a few times now, is knowledgeable with the selection, she recommended to me once a strawberry beer. It was very good and tasty. Best night to go is Sunday night because they have team trivia.
(5)Fernanda K.
You know how sometimes you just walk into the right place at the right time? I was wandering around on a rainy Sunday afternoon not sure where to go - the idea was to find a place I'd never been to. As I walked down Thayer St. and glanced around corners, I saw that this old basement bar was not what it used to be. Dark, low ceilings, fireplace, and over 200 beers. It had a mood I hadn't felt in Providence in quite a while. First great beer: Out of the measly 8 caskets of Lagunitas that came into RI, this place got two of them. It reminds me of delirium, which I love. To make it even better it only cost $6. The bartender wanted to know why I didn't want mussels, so I told him my fish story, to which he replied, "I've heard that story before, was it "Of Mice and Men?" Holy Moly, my squishing of the fish was just compared to Lenny's squishing of the mouse. So not only did I find good atmosphere and good beer, I also found a bartender making literary jokes? Hum, I think I like it here... I was hungry and stock gangster talk kept going through my head, although Clint E. beats any of them. I imagine Clint's squinting eye and I digress... The bartender says: "we've got this scotch egg you should try. It's a soft-boiled egg wrapped in sausage and deep fried in breadcrumbs. The house's own creation." Just what I needed, a strange concoction to keep the enterprise afloat. I forgot to mention that they not only had soccer playing on the background TVs, they had local Brazilian teams playing: Vasco Vs. Palmeiras. It was Father's Day in Brazil on that day (different date than here), and I could imagine my own father drinking a beer and watching the game, much as I was doing a continent away, there with my Lagunita and scotch-boiled egg. I met an old French man who wrote books, and an eager Dutch still pimply-faced doctoral student. The bartender offered to make a pub trivia team and play with us, but the conversation was too engaging to pay attention to any other game.
(4)Joanna R.
This place is really hit or miss. Recently, it's been mostly a miss. If you go on a weekend night, the bar area is packed and tables are taken. This past time I went with my friends, the service was awful. We found a table and waited a good amount of time before getting our drinks at the bar. Thirty minutes passed when our server finally came over to the table. She was visibly annoyed that we didn't order with her. OK, I understand you don't get a tip if we order at the bar, but maybe try to come over sooner? Second, for the rest of the night, she was an awfully miserable person. One of my friends had just received his permanent residency so we wanted to celebrate big. We still had a fun night but no thanks to the English Cellar. Ok, the bartenders are normally fantastic and the beer list is extensive, I just think I've had too many bad service experiences to make it a worthwhile bar.
(2)Nicole R.
Stopped in briefly to grab a drink while walking down thayer. Waitress was ok, seemed like they were trying very hard to stick to the English theme. There were a lot of hipster kids running around and it was a very young crowd. Prices were reasonable and the drinks were pretty good. Nothing really had the wow factor for me but sometimes you just need a good ol' stand by to head into... that's definitely the type of place this was for me..
(3)Clayton R.
I am a huge fan of Doherty's and it's extensive craft beer selection. After hearing such great things about the Alehouse, my wife and I finally got there this past weekend. While, in my opinion, nobody can top Doherty's on the number of beers offered, this bar did have an impressive selection. We bumped into an old friend and talked for a long time, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. The only thing preventing me from giving it five stars, as other reviewers have stated, was the service.We sat at the bar instead of a booth. The first bartender we had was amazing, letting us try samples of different beers to decide if we might want to buy a full pint. Once she left, our next bartender was a different story. He was unattentive, unfriendly and walked by us several times as we tried to flag him down for another beer. He seemed more interested in talking to a couple girls and his buddy than serving us. The rest of the staff I encountered were very friendly and I loved that you could order food off of the two different menus. We will go back at some point, but it's not "Cheers" material for me.
(4)Samantha S.
I love the fruity beer selection. I love it even more when Shipyard Pumpkinhead and Applehead is on there. Great selection of beers (I would choose this place over the Mews any day as far as beer selection goes). I have never had the food so I am not rating this place based on that. For a good beer come here.
(4)Darcy P.
I went here on a Friday night around 9 pm. There weren't many seats, but my friend and I found a place at the bar. The bartender came and talked to us immediately, and spent several minutes helping us choose a beer, even letting us sample some. The food was amazing! We split the Celler Fries and the Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Both came out in less than 10 minutes and they were very hot and were clearly just made. When we left four of the employees wished us a good night. Great food, great beer, and great service!
(5)Naomi B.
I love pubs so when I find a 'real' pub I am a happy camper! We visited on a Sunday night in February and the place was very quiet. Fish and Chips are amazing!!! Beer menu was fantastic and decor was so authentic and cozy. Service was fast and pleasant and we left very happy.
(5)Amanda H.
After spending 5 years in the UK, this place is a welcome retreat in Providence. Amazing beer selection and friendly staff. I've been taking my friends that visit from abroad to this place and everyone agrees, The English Cellar does a great job replicating the pub culture atmosphere of jolly old England.
(4)Omar R.
This bar is amazing, i have been going there for over 2 years and it never stops to impress me. the selection of beer is second to none in the providence area, the food is fresh, the menu has alot of variety from tapas to pizza to wings and burgers. The bartenders are very knowledgeable, especially Lindsay, and the manager Brett is very professional, and used a heck of a bartender. Overall a great place to be with a good environment, a good brew selections, good food and good service
(5)Deeds D.
I came in here with my girlfriend looking for a good beer so we walk in, sit down, and order up. Right away it seems like the bartender is totally trashed. It was Sunday so the bar was pretty quiet and this guy is just yelling acting the fool. I thought it was pretty funny but my girlfriend was getting angry at the sexual remarks he was making to his female waitstaff. They were clearly embarrassed at some of the stuff this guy was saying in front of customers. So we just do our best to ignore all this and enjoy our beer which was pretty good. Very good selection, they had a lot of stuff from Belgium. I noticed a pool table in the back. It had an overall cool look to it with the British theme. Anyway back to the story, after enjoying my beer I step out for a smoke and who comes out but the drunken bartender. I don't think he noticed me and he then proceeds to puke all over the entry way to the bar. Check please. Your at work and you get so drunk that your puking on your own establishment. And this was a grown man keep in mind. I hate to judge a place on one person because other than all this I enjoyed the atmosphere in here. But seriously its not good for business, save the boozing for when your off the clock.
(2)Betsy R.
I must confess that my friends and I were here so often one summer that we ceased calling it the "English cellar" and just started calling it "going out." My friends and I are beer rats, and The English Cellar boasts a number of (bottled) craft beers, which is fun, but if you're looking for a vast draft selection, this ain't the place. They did have Old Speckled Hen on draft for a while (and still might) which impressed me. I wouldn't bother with the food unless it's one of their beer dinners (pairing beer with courses) because it appears that most of their menu originates as chain-restaurant quality frozen pub fare. For those of us that remember when it was the "liquid lounge" with plywood beer pong tables, the decor is definitely an upgrade. It does feel like an old-world European pub, and there are cozy booths in which to sit if you're lucky enough to nab one. Let me conclude by saying that I give this place four stars in the summer, but only three in the winter months. While it appears that they inspect IDs critically at the door, the abundance of (underaged) college kids is rather off-putting.
(4)Alex H.
If I was local, I might turn this into my bar. "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" emblazoned over the bar shows this is owned by like-minded folks. The beer list is phenomenal. The list was crafted by folks who appreciate and love beer in all its forms, and want to ensure that the world gets a chance to try multiple examples of each. Locals and regionals are heavily represented, while other imports and more distant regional beers (woo Abita!) are highlighted. While the shared space of the tapas restaurant above is in service, the music is pleasant and a bit retro. However, once the tapas bar closes, the bass it turned up and Usher calls out to the adjacent street to entice college kids away from their beer money. I would have given this place a four, but that clarion call was my sign that it was time to settle the bill.
(3)Chris J.
I kind of miss the Liquid Lounge bar that used to be at this location (classic dumpy college bar) but I was happy to hear that a craft beer oriented bar had opened up in its place. First impression upon walking in was that they did a nice job renovating the place as a classy upscale English pub. A little too bright though. I didn't try any of the food so I can't comment on that aspect of this establishment. As for the beer, they have a huge and rather expensive bottle selection. The draft selection was too small for my liking and was made up of English beers and was a tad expensive, though beers like Old Speckled Hen are always pricey on tap. My friend that came with me, and doesn't drink alcohol, ordered a Diet Coke as usual, and we were pretty surprised that they charged $2.50 for it, which was almost half what my pricey English beer cost. To be honest, I am not a fan of paying high prices for bottles of beer I can get at a store down the street and the draft selection was only so-so. The Wickenden Pub has almost as many bottles and the same size draft selection (though no food) so this place is not unique in its beer selection. Rated purely on the beer, which is as big part of how they seem to be promoting themselves, this place has potential but I doubt it will become a beer destination. I will return to try the food though. The bar drink service was very good 3 stars might have been warranted but $2.50 for a diet coke? Whats up with that?
(2)Stefanie G.
We've come here to drink a handful of times. HUGE variety of beers, which is awesome. Have not tried their food... and I probably never will! I would only come here to drink, chill, and chat at night on the weekends before it gets TOO late/packed. It can get cliquey in here, especially in the back room area. The bartenders are cool, though.
(4)Keyser S.
I was really excited to try this place. Unfortunately this turned out to be my worst dining experience I've ever had in Providence. I went here for lunch with four other people. After being seated, it took about 15 minutes for the waitress to take our order. About 30 minutes after placing our order the appetizers arrived. I ordered the wings, which were disappointing. The quality of the chicken wasn't bad, but the sauce was terrible and they were room temperature, at best. My companions had the cheese plate, which they enjoyed. Immediately after I finished my appetizer, my entree was delivered. Rather than delivering all of our entrees at once, mine was brought out approximately ten minutes prior to the rest. All of the remaining entrees were brought out at different times. Much like my appetizer, my entree was room temperature when it was brought out. All together, it took roughly an hour to receive our entrees. The only reason why this place gets two stars is because the waitress was cute.
(2)Scott B.
I went in for beers and grabbed some fries while I was there. They have a very extensive beer list, 3 or 4 pages. So they have a lot to choose from. It gets the 5 stars due to the beer list. A few other bars have pretty good beer list in the area, but overall craft and foreign brews dominate the alehouse list. The fries were good, with a good amount of sea salt on them to give them a bite in the flavor.
(5)Steven D.
PJ D.; "As a few other posters mentioned this place is a Jekyll & Hyde sort of bar." That must be the case, for it was a surprise to see so many negative reviews. I visited once, on a Monday afternoon. There were only a handful there, so service was unlikely to be an issue. However, the barman was friendly and clearly cared about his beer. The selection of beer was cosmopolitan, but consistantly good, suggesting a love of good beer rather than a will to show off. Incidentally, a tip for people creating British pubs outside of the UK, in Britain, the chairs will very rarely match. Though, I have actually seen working red phone boxes in English pubs, so top marks there.
(4)Robin S.
Gets 4 starts exclusively based on the drinks and atmosphere. If you're on college hill, want to stick on Thayer, and want to avoid the more...house music lovin' crowd of Viva, then here's where you go. Good drinks, friendly bar tenders (sadly a friendly bar tender merits a star on its own), and if a bit pricey, it's because you were too lazy to get off the hill.
(4)PJ D.
As a few other posters mentioned this place is a Jekyll & Hyde sort of bar. On a weeknight it's a place you can have a beer and catch up with friends and have a great night. I've enjoyed the food I've had there and found it to be just what the doctor ordered on a few occasions. We even had an office outing there that was a huge hit. On the weekends the scent of Fitch Fierce and desperation hangs thick in the air. Its mind numbingly loud and so crowded you're likely to spill a good amount of your high end craft beer. Now, that may be a plus for the younger set looking to get hammered and find that special someone to make a mistake with. Not my scene. The beer selection is awesome, no way around it. The prices for the beers are on par with other beers that serve rarer Belgian imports and craft beers, perhaps a tad on the high side. Bottom line, if you're going there for the beer go on a weeknight. If your going there for the Roofie Coolata and a rash of mysterious origins, you'll love Friday or Saturday night.
(3)Jeffrey H.
Went here last night for dinner, boy was I disappointed. The ambiance was fine, the service was acceptable, and the prices were reasonable (thus 2 stars instead of 1), but the food was terrible and portions were pretty small. It's fine as a bar, but I would strongly recommend against coming here for dinner. In particular, the ceasar salad was just iceberg lettuce drenched in what seemed to be mayonnaise, with "croutons" that were the worst I've ever had. It's hard to make bad croutons, but these had a weird consistency and bad flavor.
(2)Simon O.
I went to the Ale House semi-regularly to play their Sunday trivia with some friends. The service was never more than OK, but it underwent a steady decline over 2011. We went with a larger group in late summer. We were a table of 8 - a solid table without a doubt, some apps, much beer being purchased. My trivia pals and I noted (with some bemusement) that it was the fifth consecutive visit where they appeared to have had at least 100% turnover in the wait staff. It's tough to say, but honestly it was the appalling service that ended up driving us all away. Maybe it is the constant turnover that is doing them in, but I won't be back.
(1)Hannah R.
Good selection of beers, fun place (pool table, lot of booths) but the prices are absolutely out of control for a dive-bar kind of place on College Hill. Expect to pay at least a dollar more per beer than at Spats or another spot on Thayer. There's nothing special here to justify those kind of prices.
(2)Ted D.
Little hidden Gem. EXTENSIVE beer list, mostly bottles. Our server was very knowledgeable, present the correct amount of time and let us know which drafts they were out of at the moment. Even had a suggestion when I was stumped on what to get next. Had a burger that was very good. Nice handmade pattie, cooked to order and served on a traditional English Muffin. The side of fries were straight from the fryer and had just the right amount of seasoning. Prices were very good and reasonable. They are in the midst of renovations; but this is worthy of a return trip.
(3)Galya T.
this place has put me under its spell. very fun atmosphere. the crowd is a mix of many: young and older. beer is not that expensive so i am not complaining
(5)Eric L.
We went around Thayer Street looking for a bite (somewhere we haven't gone before was our hope) and almost decided on Paragon again until we saw English Alehouse sign. We were greeted quite nicely and given opportunity to view both the upstairs menu and downstairs pub menu. The receptionist was nice and friendly. So we walked into the pub following the receptionist and both of us could not believe the distasteful odor of septic backup. Seated near the rear of the pub, we could not enjoy the food as waves of pungent smells took over as customers walked by. Thank God we bought some incense just before our arrival... Here we sat waving the incense around to avoid the odor. My partner ordered meatloaf which sounded good but was definitely not something we would suggest.... he never got his veggies either. I had the fish n chips which was okay... FYI tarter sauce very spicy for those of you who like tarter sauce but not hot. We didn't know till we tried it! Needless to say do not go if you aren't half in the bag and might not notice the aroma... Beer is probably good though!
(1)Jeff W.
I ordered a Porter and was brought an IPA. The music was top 40 country. I didn't like it.
(2)Rebecca R.
Since my last unpleasant experience they have changed their food menu and have created an additional menu. I have been back 3 or 4 times since and everything has been delicious. I was happily surprised my first time back, especially because I was very apprehensive about trying the new menu. So far all is good. I just really hope they continue with all the great food.
(5)Kristi L.
I guess I'm of the mindset that this place is okay, but not worth the drive into Providence for me. There really wasn't much noteworthy here, or at least nothing noteworthy when compared to similar places closer to home. Plus, factoring in the horrendous parking situation [read: no parking, and good luck finding a spot on the street when you're 1 block over from Thayer and a stone's throw away from Brown], it's just not that big of a deal.
(2)Charlotte M.
If you love beer you will love this place! I came here for my first bar stop in Providence after a recommendation and I was very pleased. They have a huge selection of all different types of beer. It might be so big you will have a hard time deciding. Luckily me and my sister had a very attentive bartender that gave us recommendations upon hearing our preferences. I had some seasonal beers and an old speckled hen. All very delicious and rich. My sister is more of an IPA fan and she had plenty to choose from. She must have had 3 different types she never even heard of and loved all of them. I liked this place for those reasons alone. Any place that serves a nondiscriminatory list of beers that is reasonably priced is fine by me!
(4)Heather W.
Decent place to go for drinks. Does have a very extensive beer menu, sadly I am not a fruity beer kind of girl so a lot of them did not do much for me. When I went I had a bunch of different IPAs, none of which were on tap which was sort of disappointing. Also was not given a pint class but more of a wine glass for my beer. While I had no interest in the whiskey my friend did and their whiskey selection was not too extensive.
(3)Sean M.
This is my least favorite bar in all of Providence. Pros: Pool table and good beer selection. Cons: Staff is consistently rude or inattentive, can become quite packed with undergrads on the weekend, food isn't worth the price at all. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big beer guy, but I can appreciate the selection that English Cellar carries. The food I've had is bland (typical bar food), although I'm not expecting the most stellar dishes coming from a place that has "English," "Cellar," and "Alehouse" all in the name. The biggest complaint I have with this bar is the service. I've been ~5-10 times and have had poor service at more than half of my visits. Staff doesn't seem to try that hard. I've sat at tables for long stretches of time with empty glasses waiting. Staff refuses to split checks, and will direct you across the street to the Bank of America ATM to leave cash with your friends if you plan on leaving before they do.
(2)Brett B.
Checked out this place yesterday for lunch with a friend to celebrate his 30th. We both enjoyed the experience. The draught beer selection included about 12 choices with 2 additional specials to choose from. The bottle selection was quite impressive and seemed endless. The burger I had was just all right but the beer battered fish and chips my friend had that I was lucky enough to sample was just great. The beer battered onion rings were also flavored so well that I passed on the included dip. Service was prompt and friendly. You'll be happy if you get Lindsey. Based on my first experience I was surprised how quiet it was inside but then again it was a snowy weekday. The food prices were fair and the beer prices were about average. The atmosphere of the establishment was also quite nice if not a bit dark for my taste. We'll definitely be back and recommend this place to others.
(4)Eric F.
Thayer Street is one of my go-to weekend locals, and one evening, by chance, I happened into the English Cellar Alehouse, which runs perpendicular to Thayer. English Ale Cellar presents a nice contrast to the Kartobar's, Paragon's, and other college haunts/guido spots that populate Thayer. Quality and unique brews, decent prices and my god...available seating! A good place to switch it up if you don't feel like being packed into a bar awkwardly standing next to that one sweaty guy with spiked hair and a button down who just won't stop trying to dance with each and every girl who walks past him...
(3)Julie A.
The English Cellar : aka the old Liquid Lounge, in the heart of RISD/BROWN Thayer's east side. I went to the English Cellar on a friday evening with my girl friend, before the bar rush. We both sat at the bar and ordered some appetizers. The decor and ambiance was nice with wood booths, tables, and exposed brick.They seemed to have a pretty extensive beer selection. There were 2 bartenders on shift, and they seemed a little disorganized. Our girl promptly took our beer orders, but we had a little trouble getting her (or even the other guy's) attention to order food. Once we did, I ordered a clam chowder, and my friend ordered a salad. It was good, but nothing fantastical, and a little pricey for what I would imagine to be a "divey" establishment, considering the decor/ambiance. But again, this is in a prime college student area, so I can see why they might hike up their prices. Overall, good. I'd go again, and recommend it to someone who wants an English Pub-esque feel place.
(3)Holly L.
I stopped by here last night for a birthday gathering. We sat in the cellar which looked like it sat plenty of people. I had the meatloaf with wasn't any thing spectacular but wasn't terrible either. I would probably try something different next time. My boyfriend ordered a creamed Dijon chicken dish that was awesome. They have a beer for every pallet. Their martinis range from 8-10 bucks and were strong. The waitress was very attentive and as nice as could be. At 11pm the lights were turned down and the music turned up. The remaining empty seats filled up quick. It seemed to be the place to be on a Saturday night. I'd suggest it to a friend.
(4)Ryan M.
The English Cellar Alehouse is my favorite bar off of Thayer Street. They have a large beer selection and a menu full English staples. I've been there several times now, so I will give you a quick breakdown of each visit. Every time I have been here, the service has been pleasant. The first time I was there was for a weekday lunch. I enjoyed steak on a stick as an appetizer, and mac and cheese for lunch. The I really enjoyed the food, and I can't wait to try more of their offerings. The second time I visited was for a birthday celebration. It was a Sunday night, and they were offering live trivia. [They do this every Sunday night.] The mood was upbeat, there was a small crowd, but nothing overbearing. The trivia was very entertaining, and the drinks were great! I stopped in last night, but, I was disappointed with the crowd. There was no seating available, and the staff looked overwhelmed. I didn't stay very long. Still though, the English Cellar Alehouse is highly recommended.
(4)Lori H.
Stumbled upon this wonderful place this afternoon! Enjoyed several outstanding, hard-to-find beers, a couple of delectable scotch eggs (trust me- you should try them), and chatting with the very knowledgable and welcoming Mike at the bar! Great atmosphere, all the food we saw going by looked and smelled wonderful, really terrific bar and waitstaff- complete with pride in their restaurant and senses of humor and a HUGE beer list (draught and bottled)-- what more could you ask for? We'll be back!
(5)Andrea J.
Horrible! food sucks, deplorable service, terrible atmosphere. Last call and lights on happens more than a half hour before closing, the staff is obnoxious, the bartenders/managers come directly to you promptly at 12:59 or 1:00am swearing and insulting costumers to "get the fuck out! It's 1am we're closed! That means you! Put your drink down i have a babysitter at home that i gotta pay for this shit!"....staff had no idea how to run a business and no concept of customer service. Took me 20 minutes to get someone to seat me and got referred to 5 other staff members before i got seated...each one more annoyed than the last. Also, when my friends went, they wanted a table to eat, a staff member told they could not sit down at one of the FEW open booths in the front of the restaurant because they were saving those IN CASE large parties came in...instead they were sat all the way in the back room, at a table for 2, in a room occupied by only the man using cleaning products to clean while filling the room with chemical smell. They decided not to eat, had 1 drink and left. Money lost. Place SUCKS. i had a pizza there, it sucked. Really blows because the place used to be decent. Every time i go there it gets worse, I've given it chances, will never be going again. And i spend lots of money when i go out.
(1)John M.
Very impressive beer list (200+). The bartenders are easy going and very knowledgeable and can always give you a great recommendation based on your tastes if you are in the mood to try new beers. Some beers that cannot be found anywhere and are extremely rare might be a little pricier but keep in mind, you don't go here to pound 15 beers frat party style. If you do want to pound a bunch of brews, those beers are here too. The true true beer connoisseur can start a "list." You put your name on a piece of paper which lists approximately 200 different beers. This list is kept at the bar and each time you come in and drink something appearing on that paper, it is checked off. At each 25 beer milestone (25, 50,75, etc) you receive a random prize. If you finish your list, you are immortalized among the other brave souls by having your list framed and hung behind the bar along with a personalized inscription (one example is "Veni Bevi Vici" - I came, I drank, I conquered) in perpetuity. Overall, great feel in the bar. It is not a "hipster" bar as at least one reviewer said (I have not seen one person with a PBR). I have been here many many times and it is a diverse crowd consisting of down to earth, friendly people ranging from Brown professors, to bankers, to college kids. The food is reasonably priced, simple, and good. the fries and burgers in particular are delicious and they actually cook it the way you want (you know how uncommon this is if you order your burgers medium rare). Also, they are currently undergoing an expansion in which a staircase was just built connecting the basement to the newly built Coco Pazzo, an Italian restaurant, upstairs! Based on the high importance the Cellar management places on customer service and beer and food quality, I can't wait to try to try this! I think it opens mid-March 2012. So, you will like the Cellar if you enjoy a social, friendly atmosphere or meeting new people, you like beer, and you don't act like Jersey Shore.
(5)Bob A.
The worst service I have experienced in a great while. They obviously hire their staff based on looks not skill, which is fine...but at least train the bimbos to take an order and deliver food and drink. We sat for ages before recognized. Drink took quite some time and food even longer. They were out of the first 4 beers I ordered. When the food did arrive it was luke warm and greasy. And when I say greasy it was literally sittting in a puddle of grease. When my server finally showed up to check on how things were I mentioned how greasy the food was. She smirked and said "You know it was deep fried right???" At this point I was about to lose it. I asked to speak to a manager. When a drawn looking man with a beard came over to our table I knew this was going to be interesting. The manager was very stand offish. Didn't seem to want to make us happy or care about us returning...so we won't. BTW- There is nothing english about this place except the name don't waste your time!!!
(1)Sarah B.
One fall night I was wandering about providence with two friends and happened upon this bar. It was a very relaxed bar scene for a saturday night, nice interior, not too cramped feeling. We sat down for a couple beers to find that they had a fairly extensive menu (no natty ice or keystone insight... sorry college boys). I ended up getting hard cider which was very good and fit with my autumn mood (they had several different choices of cider as well) We decided to get the spinach and artichoke app. When it arrived, I was pleased to find that it was a step above the freezer section applebees variety and was served with pita chips. It was a great snack and very tasty... until I started chewing on something that sort of felt like an eggshell. Come to find that the ceramic bowl that it was served in was chipped. Low and behold I pull a piece of ceramic out of my mouth... yum! Now I've only been there once so I can't really say that they serve their food with broken bits of ceramic to all of their patrons but I didn't really appreciate it. Aside from that minor incident, the service was decent for a fairly busy night. I would probably go there again
(3)Walter K.
The English Cellar Alehouse is a great place for many occasions. They have fun theme nights, as well as great deals. Cheap but solidly good food. Great appetizers. The servers are always great. Swift and know lots about beer. And speaking of which, their beer selection is phenomenal. Sometimes certain beers aren't available but they are quick with a recommendation. The bar downstairs is a great atmosphere and good for groups or just two or three people. Always down for the alehouse! great, versatile place.
(5)Rose G.
I like the drinks here, but the service is absolutely horrendous. I have been here for over an hour. Not once has this waitress visited our table to get our second round. When we first got here we waited 20 minutes and were never acknowledged. So we went up to the bar to get our first round. When we returned to our seats we were promptly scolded by the absent waitress for not ordering from her. Well where were you the last 20 minutes? So now here we are waiting for the second round that will likely never come. We will be leaving shortly for another bar and likely never returning.
(1)s p.
Given the dearth of RI beer-bars and the fact that this place just opened, I'm reluctant to give a bad review, but...they need to sort out some things quickly or they won't be around long. My wife and I went to dinner with two other couples and all six of us were in agreement: Food - Onion rings were great, so was the buffalo chicken tenders. The rest of the dinners - a few orders of fish and chips, a burger, onion soup, etc., were all acceptable pub-fare. The Sheppard's Pie, however, was inedible; it was a nothing more than a layer of ground beef with sloppy-joe mix, a layer of canned corn, and a layer of mashed potatoes. Granted, that might be an authentic English recipe, but it still sucked. My wife stopped after 4 bites and the only reason there was half of it gone when the waitress came and picked it up was because a few of us tried it. I've had great Sheppard's pie, this is a recipe designed around a price-point. Service - Attentive to the point of annoyance. I realize that they just opened, but we literally had two, maybe three, people hovering over us all dinner long. There is a rhythm to good service, and nothing stinks worse than being ignored, but having your dinner interrupted over two dozen times is a close second. I think this will eventually improve, as it's most probably a management issue, because the wait staff were definitely competent and very polite. Beer - (warning beer-snob rant about to begin) Having traveled all over the world solely to drink beer, I can assure you any bar attempting to market itself to a beer crowd but not knowing beer-culture is going to suffer. They claim to offer over 150 beers, and they actually have more than that, but quantity does not always equate to a great experience. The menu, with all beers organized alphabetically (arguably the worst way to list beers), was filled with spelling errors, mislabeled styles, and looks like it was put together by someone who worked with the distributor, but doesn't really know and love beer. The most glaring issue is the price: reasonable on some bottles and completely out of line on others. Would anyone in their right mind pay $17 for a bottle of Orval? How about a $27 for a bomber of Oak-aged Yeti? Both of these beers are available locally at half of those prices. The Houblon Chouffe was more than Rochefort 10...on what planet does that make sense? (ok, beer-snob rant is over). My menu recommendations: first, organize by style or by brewer, or better yet both, that way when you're looking for a stout or an IPA, you see everything that is offered. Second, have a knowledgeable beer geek proof your entire menu, anyone who orders a beer they've never had needs a solid, first-hand description. And third, get out locally to see some of the beer-centric establishments so you can adjust the pricing on the higher-end beers. In the end I filled out the feedback paper they handed us and then even discussed it in-person with the manager, and to his credit he seemed genuinely interested in hearing the feedback. So bottom line: I really do hope they get it right, god-knows Providence could use another bar that has something other than 10 crappy beers, but if they don't listen and learn from the folks who love beer then given the expense of a Thayer Street business, I predict they'll be gone in a year or so.
(2)Neil C.
Simply a horrible experience! An extensive beer list however extremely disorganized. My wife and i ordered hamburgers which were chard black to the point that they were un edible. The bill was completely removed only after multiple conversations with our waitress. Don't waste your time in this place with all the options in Providence.
(1)Linh T.
This is my second regular bar option when I used to live in Providence. They have two floors. The first floor is a nice open restaurant/ bar kind of set up. Drink options are not special, but you can find pretty much all the typical and local beers (RI and MA brewed). I wouldn't say that the food here is great either. Yet, definitely order the bbq wings if you come around. Pasta is also a good option for a less casual dinner. The basement gives out more of a bar vibe. The best two things to do here is: first, to come after 9pm for a drink with friends. The Brown students always hang out here so you always have young people surrounded when having a beer. Secondly, come when they stream a soccer game. Since it's an Irish ale house ( trust me it's not that Irish at all. A little nicer!), they do stream European soccer league when there are good games. It's the best! People actually show up wearing their teams' jerseys, order bbq wings and beers to watch the game. It definitely felt like one of those European pubs. If you are not into either of these experiences, just swing by at 4pm, sit outside and have a beer.
(4)Melissa M.
I've walked by this place hundreds of times and seriously regret not going in sooner. great beer selection,decent pub grub, and humorous staff. they also host a bunch of community social groups and as i was told 8-10 tinder dates a week!
(4)Rick B.
Trying my best not to show bias here, all while showing my age. As many know, English Alehouse used to be the infamous Liquid Lounge. Some of my nearest and dearest memories from college took place there, and I always (don't) remember having a great time. I mean, looking back, it was the diviest of dives, but it was always a great place to erase the memory of a dismal final exam while stepping over puddles of vomit. Ahh, college. That being said, the Alehouse is a HUGE improvement and fits nicely with the Thayer Street theme. Aestheticly speaking, they classed up the place enormously. The place has color, so much more color. The tables are nice, the bar is larger, and the back room has carpeting(!) underneath its pool table, essentially eliminating all the remains of the dungeon-like black hole that was liquid lounge. The bartenders at English Alehouse are just that; they tend bar. Not mean at all, but definitely not the friendliest around. If people want a huge list of craft beers, they'll come here. If they don't, they'll go somewhere else. I think the bartenders know that customer service is not THE deciding factor, and they either have what people want, or they don't.
(3)Margaret L.
Incredibly slow service!!! We waited for 30 minutes for a burger and a salad!!! And the place is empty! Geez!! Not the first I receive bad service in this place!
(2)Paul J.
I enjoyed this bar! Came with a group of friends and we snagged one of the larger high-tops in the middle of the first floor. Waiter was friendly and attentive. Larger second floor that was not being used but had plenty of potential. One thing to note about the high-tops was that they weren't originally spaced out far enough apart, resulting in my back becoming the seat-back of the woman behind me. Thanks, but not thanks. Make sure you push out the tables to an appropriate distance before hunkering down for the night at a high-top.
(4)Linda A.
Oh darn. I've been there a couple times since and am wondering -- why do they charge for refills on soda? When you spend $2.50 per refill unknowingly, it can really add up. Especially when the soda is flat, too. You should definitely warn your customers. Wow. Also, I've tried the burgers twice now, and they have been overcooked with rock hard buns. There wasn't even any seasoning on the meat (from what I could tell). It's a shame, since other things on the menu are awesome. I really liked the shepherd's pie egg rolls, for example. I tried out the meatloaf, but it came out with floppy bacon wrapped around it, a cold center, and gravy that had completely separated. It was literally a pool of oil on my plate. How do you even send that out? We didn't end up sending it back since it took our waitress so long to come check on us. We just wanted to get out of there by the end of it all. It's too bad. I had convinced a friend to come here, but I don't think he'll ever want to come back.
(3)Mike S.
I don't know if this is a 5 star place, but I had a 5 star experience. A lot of it had to do with the day. .. I took the pups there on a beautiful Wednesday when I was "working from home" and sat outside. The waitresses was very nice and brought a steel water bowl for the dogs immediately. I got a huge lunch that started with a beer as well as a fig and blue cheese salad. Next, i ordered the bacon wrapped meatloaf which was a bit much for lunch but I ate it all haha. I used the $5 off Lunch check in too! Sometimes I think I'm the only one who uses those because waitresses are always befuddled at first. As long as they honor it and don't look at me like a cheapskate, I'm happy. Tipped big since she hydrated and pet my pups. Always goes a long way with me!
(5)Jodie G.
I reluctantly tried the restaurant again after a bad experience, only to have another. 20 minutes after recieving a coffee and still I didnt receive sugar. 40 minutes after ordering we still didnt have our food. It was a waste of a lunchbreak. The waitress with blue hair was absent after taking our order, which she seemed uninterested in taking in the first place. When we told them we no longer wanted the food, they became confrontational. Go to McDonalds. You'll get better service and better prices. I'll never know what the Cellar's burgers taste like. Now I remember why after working at Brown for 10 years I always avoided this place. Can I give 0 stars? I wasted part of my life yesterday.
(1)Sofie S.
We stopped in here to have a drink. It was dead, but our bartender was phenomenal. He really made the experience here. He made a few recommendations since they didn't have my normal drink and was real sweet and funny. Would have loved to have come back, but we weren't in town long enough to.
(4)Joseph K.
This is not a place I would return to. Overall it's a bit over priced for what you're getting. The owner is arrogant and outright obnoxious and is a king of the world. Arrogance best describes this establishment. Every time he talk about how great he is, he is he's really insulting you. If you can go to viva or kartabar or anything else on Thayer st. There you can get better service and treatment. And the crowd might be a bit classier It's one of those places where all the facilities are very well done but the management and staff are harboring a fixated mentality of victimization. Are they like going through a bitter divorce and taking it out on their patrons? Seriously check out instead the Shark on Thayer street. Andreas is definitely worth a trip. Kabob and curry, try it once.
(1)Evan V.
It's safe to say this building was host to several shoot-downs from members of the opposite sex, throughout my early 20's. What with the sweaty pool room in the rear and the scantily clad co-eds, conning their way through round-after-round. But I'm here to talk about the current iteration, English Cellar Alehouse. Although only slightly better than it's sister restaurants - in terms of service and sight seeing - the gimmick here is most definitely the coolest. Pints and football and all types of British hooliganry. What could really be a solid place to frequent, if only there were more vege options (and easy-on-the-eyes Rolling Rock swilling c-teases). Alas, in the year 2014 Liquid Lounge is nothing more than a fading memory - entirely devoid of hook ups - but perhaps if your game is tight you will have better luck here, than I did there. Glory glory Man United.
(3)Kristi P.
My husband is a huge fan of English Cellar Alehouse. So many beers to choose from. It reminds me of a German pub.
(5)Liz M.
This places has changed a few times and I have to say this may be the best one yet. They have two parts to it. Upstairs is the dining room with large bar and was a bit quieter than downstairs. Downstairs is busier with a large bar also and some casual tables. Whether your in the mood for a quiet dinner or bar atmosphere this place has it covered. The epic food and extensive Drink menu is available in both rooms. Since there were a group of us we tried a few apps. The soft pretzel bites were good but the cheese dipping sauce was a little bland. Needed more spice and cheese. The shepards pie rolls were awesome. This little gems were potato and ground beef and corn stuffed into a fried egg roll served with brown gravy. Wow. Spinach artichoke dip was cheesy goodness. It came with fat pieces of tortillas that were fried. We had Asian and BBQ chicken tenders. Both were nicely sauced and tasty. My favorite app was the fig and prosciutto pizza. It was thin crust and very fresh. They were generous with it too. Lots of meat on it. Portions for the apps was small so if your just having apps You probabaly need about three to share between two people. This may be my new favorite place to go. Yummers
(5)Samantha T.
We are here and visiting from NYC and watching NCAA semi finals. Best bartender EVER...SERAPHIM! Very happy with the service and the pizza!! Great location next to the Brown University Bookstore!!
(5)Noah D.
Hands down the worst restaurant and bar I have ever been to. The worst. Dirty, bad service, bad food, bad decor, bad smells, bad lighting, bad music, bad attitudes, bad design... everything was horrible. I don't understand how a place like this exists.
(1)Eric M.
Don't waste your time. Came on a Friday night for a few beers and a pizza. Was told "the dough was not ready yet" at 8pm. Huh?
(1)Kyle S.
Whenever my friends and I decided to head over to the East Side for drinks on a Friday or Saturday night the English Cellar was always one of our first choices. Sadly though, the past few times I have been in I have been highly disaapointed in both the service and quality of this place. In one of my last trips there not only was the service horrible (our waitress barely gave us the time of day), their whole tap system was down! The only draft beer they said they had available (because we were told it was on a special line?) was Heineken. And to seal the deal I went there craving their cellar fries and our waitress informs us that the kitchen was closed early for the night... I really used to be a big fan of this place. Between having some really good food and a great beer selection this was a favorite bar of mine but they have certainly gone down hill. Hopefully they can figure things out and get back to the way they used to be. There are plenty of other great bars around Providence so it is sad to say I don't see myself coming back here anytime soon.
(1)Glen W.
Friendly staff, cool atmosphere. Get the honey mustard BBQ Zingers...delicious! Tons of draft beer options. Go to the bathroom at home, the men's room smells like the gym locker room at Woonsocket Middle. Not the one they use either, the old one that was probably decommissioned in the 40's.
(4)Song J.
The food is actually just mediocre but we came here on a Sunday night when they played geeks who drink which was pretty fun even though we didn't know many of the answers. Who cares! We named our team the dunnos. The food is of big portions. Fish and chips is pretty good but the philly cheese steak is just so-so.
(4)Laurie B.
Great food and staff! We sat inside around 9:45 on Saturday. Great glass of Pinot Noir and my company got a round of beer. I ordered the clam chowder doe the English side and they order the calamari from the Coco Pazzo side. The chowder was huge! You can split it with 2 or 3 people. They ate ALL of the calamari which has a sweet chili sauce. For dinner I got a caprese salad which had a sweet balsamic glaze which was a nice change. The boys got burgers which were completely devoured. It was nice and air conditioned inside. Very clean. Very professional staff.
(5)Kendra N.
Would have received 4 stars but they kept forgetting our order. We went there on NYE and the place was very slow. We ordered a bunch of apps which were amazing! The shepards pie egg roll and pretzels were a favorite. The first order of apps the kitchen forgot to make one of them so it came out later, the second order of apps we placed, they again forgot to make one of the apps. For a place that wasn't busy that was surprising, two identical mistakes for the same party. But overall the apps were delicious just wish they were more organized.
(3)Katy S.
I just had the oddest and frankly most infuriating visit to the Alehouse. This review is solely regarding the upstairs dining room. My fiancé and I were told to seat ourselves and we did. It was a Sunday evening and it was moderately busy. We went to order to pretzel bites and were promptly told that this and several other items were not available. She went to go get our drinks and when she came she asked what we wanted at which point we were that these two items were not available. At this point there was very little left on their already limited menu and I said we were going to leave. Now I don't know if they did not want us to eat there, or their restaurant management does a poor job of ordering food but this was an incredibly frustrating experience. The restaurant was much better when it had the Mediterranean menu, we were sad to see that service was better then too.
(1)Logan B.
Gross sticky seats, no paper towels in the bathroom, jalapeno poppers with an frozen icy core, and a waitress who visited the table twice in over two hours. I will never go here again...
(1)Chintan M.
Good beer selection and a fun place to hangout in their cellar, but upstairs is too stuffy and their food is subpar.
(3)Bethany L.
Hands down worst service in providence. I came in with a smile and left with clenched teeth and furrowed brow. From the get go the bar tender, wearing his best false eyelashes, appeared annoyed to be waiting on anyone but his friends. When I asked him if they had a full kitchen, he rolled his eyes and said they have beer too. I ignored his pretentious behavior and asked to see a menu. Asked for a cider and fries. Cider took a few minutes and the fries took almost twenty five minutes to come out. I was half way done with my cider (still sans fries) when I asked to close out. He still charged me for the fries...that weren't there!!!! Three minutes after he delivered the fries without apology, I was asked to move to the end of the bar to make room for more people. Walked out and will never be back.
(1)Devon D.
The beer selection at this restaurant is excellent. The service is also very good, unless they get too busy. The food is okay. I ordered a cheesesteak and it was disappointing. The steak was dry, the cheese was suspect and the roll was huge. I still like this place for its beer, but I am not a huge fan of its food.
(2)Geoff P.
Fantastic beer selection, which is what providence needs. The food is great, but the service can be extremely slow on busy nights.
(4)Allison R.
I have never been to the English cellar before, all of my friends told me it was a place to go if and only if I wanted to feel like an old broad. But it was late on a Sunday afternoon, raining, the RISD museum had the most interesting floor closed for renovations and I had already made my date walk up to Thayer street in the unseasonable weather. Unsure of where else to go (I have had nightmarish experiences at bars on Thayer....) and in desire of a drink or two (ok, total count was 4) I suggested the Cellar, with the caveat that I had never been there, so please don't hold it against me. I will drink anything, and try any beer. My date isn't a big drinker and was a bit overwhelmed by the list and just sort of wanted something plain (pbr, gansett, something...) he continually inquired about beers and our poor server kept coming back that they were out of it. Finally he found a shandy to drink...then it turns out he got the last one. After more painful debate he switched to Sam Summer. For a place with such a big beer list, you would think that they would at least inform the servers of what they no longer have on tap, or give a run down of what is not there/in stock. Easier to remember say 10 beers they don't have then running back and forth. After a couple drinks we determined it was now late enough to attempt to eat. My date is a vegetarian, I try to follow a pescatarian diet when I am not traveling and stuffing my face with BBQ when the time and place is right. The menu for the cellar has nothing really appetizing, all heavy british fare. The coco pazzo menu was equally as unappealing, plus we wanted to be a little more adult than pizza and beer. Frustrated my date ordered a Caesar Salad and decided not to inquire about the contents of the dressing and I ordered a beet and arugula salad. Our server came by several times to try and remember our orders and a while later we were presented with what we would have thought would be full size salads....but were actually side salads. For the price, that was a bit frustrating. The beers were quite expensive too. Little did we know it was Trivia night, wooo! Tables filled up quickly and we were debating on joining but figured with only 2 people we didn't have a shot in hell of winning. Trivia was so easy. Had we competed we would have won, or at least tied. The two of us knew every answer, it was also completely weird that for the pop culture questions they would play something related to the icon/performer. Suddenly Trivia was over and the place completely cleared out. We were the only two left in the joint, and it was around 930. I nervously went to the bathroom (which is horrid and really scary and the ladies room should not be around the corner) and my date anxiously asked if we had over stayed our welcome. They were scrubbing walls and mopping the floor like the place was closing up for the night. Apparently they just take advantage of the place being a ghost town after trivia, and pointed out it was a Sunday night as well.
(2)Luis N.
The salads are definitely not fresh. The wings super dry and without flavor. The quality is very far from matching the price.
(2)Greg M.
The reviews about the service here are pretty much correct. It's slow, and most servers will just outright ignore you. However, the burger I had was very good, the crinkle fries were perfect, and the beers weren't bad (though the servers weren't much help with suggestions). And more to the point, it's in a fantastic location right by Brown University, and they have several tables outside where you can just hang out and watch the students go by (it's across from the Brown Bookstore). The weather was perfect and I was pretty dang happy just sitting there for a while. I will say that the one guy server, once he found me, was actually pretty good. But I'd already stood around inside for about 7 minutes trying to find anyone to sell me food and beer or tell me how that might be done.
(3)K F C.
Stopped in this little spot for a drink our first night in Providence. Some fun boozy infusions and good beer selection. We didn't have the food but seemed like traditional pub fare. Fun diner-y atmosphere with a laid back vibe, but in the good way. The best part of this place by far, however, was Humberto the amazing bartender. His drinks were great but his humor was better and he had us laughing and chatting and staying longer than we intended because we didn't want to leave!! We had so much fun hanging out with him and added bonus: his makeup was way on point. Humberto we will be back for another visit next time we are in town!!! Xo
(5)Samuel F.
First time at the Althouse. Went with a friend who swore that the basement was good. We ended up on the first floor though. Things hit off poorly. They couldn't find a second menu for us. Wasnt even a full joint. When we got served, they didny have apples for the turkey, Apple, brie. So we try for Mac n cheese bites. Two minutes later she says they ran out. When the order arrived, we were duped. Alas, the meals were not ours, but rather meant for the table next to us (they ordered the same thing). Upstairs not so much. The downstairs pub is awesome though.
(2)Leela S.
This is my favourite place to grab a drink on Thayer. Admittedly, I'm a lagerhead, and I love their tap selection. My favourites are Old Speckled Hen and Boddington's, and I switch it up with their rotating tap selection too--especially when there's a pumpkin ale to be had. It's a great place to spend an evening drinking with friends, with fun music playing in the background. The food is not bad either, and they have specials almost every night of the week. Tuesday's $10 burger+pint night is definitely my favourite deal. But even otherwise, I recommend their bangers and mash if you're looking for some great pub fare to chow on while drinking. Oh, and the wings are absolutely fantastic. If you prefer your wings boneless, they offer them as "zingers" as well. If you're looking for a pub with both a good beer and food selection and a relaxed atmosphere to spend an evening out, I recommend this one.
(4)Thomas F.
Absolutely love this place. Best beer selection around. All of the bartenders are friendly and knowledgable. Tasha especially, she treats me and my girl like old friends every time we go. I always bring visiting family and friends and recommend it to anyone. I always feel bad for asking the bartenders to go upstairs (usually where the best beer is) but they always make sure to let you know it's their pleasure. This place is awesome.
(5)Vern D.
Great spot! Lots if great beer choices. I've been at least 5 times. Each time, the food, the beer, and the bartenders were great! If you like beer, try it out.
(4)Kate A.
We worked hard to overlook the consistently HORRIBLE SERVICE years ago (used to come weekly for a long time) because we liked the concept but ultimately couldn't stand it. Forget table-side, good luck getting a beer in under 15 min if you're within a foot from a bartender. Just tried again today, years later, and now remember why we left. Amazingly, it's worse than before. Moved from a booth to the pool table, left server $30 for booth tab, just beers, which server took and agreed to keep serving us while we were shooting pool. We later got the full bill again and she claimed she never received the cash we handed over. So many great restaurants in Providence, don't waste your time (or twice your money). Update: they tried to charge us even more, lost one of our credit cards, and when we explained the situation the manager yelled at us repeatedly. The other patrons who observed were nice though and came over to share their own experiences of terrible service this evening. On the way out, another server mocked us loudly as we walked away. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to read the other reviews about the service and suspect financial transactions, our experience tonight is far from unique and we would like to save others the frustration and expense. An unacceptably long wait time is the best service you can hope for here.
(1)Amanda R.
I love beer so I was really excited to try this place, but I was terribly dissappointed. Prices are above average, draft selection is pitiful, and the decor is trite and seems like it's a set from a school play. Can't vouch for the food, but since half of the reviews on this page appear to be fake, I'm assuming the management isn't very confident in it. If you're looking for an east side pub, try doherty's in pawtucket or the wild colonial.
(2)Krystal S.
I ate here the other day because the location is convenient, but the food was way undercooked. I ordered food "to go" and though the waitstaff was extremely friendly, and I appreciated that maybe they rushed for a To-Go order, when I ask for a well-done burger- I don't want it to look barely cooked when I bite into it. I was already home when I finally realized my food was not edible, so I just gave up. I have gone back once since and the experience was fine, but then again I intentionally ordered safer food choices.
(2)Lyle P.
Albeit nice to have a decent beer selection and outdoor seating on a lovely night in providence with my best cousin and a beautiful woman; I had a very poor experience here although the location is nice. 1. They were out of 2 of 5 beers the we ordered. 2. Waitress knew nothing about beer and her pen did not work. (She was, however, good at smiling, dressing attractively, and being polite!) 3. My LaChoufe Houblon was NOT THE 750ml BOTTLE but merely an 11.5 oz. for $13.00 !!
(2)Heather B.
I tried this place out with a few friends on my birthday eve a couple weeks ago and I loved it simply for the ridiculously amazing drink selection and the helpfulness of our waiter in assisting with our drink choices. After we had our first round, he suggested that we try a bottle of J.K. Scrumpy's Winter Solstice Hard Cider, which they had about 34 bottles left of from when it was in season, despite it not being on the menu. One of my friends bought us a bottle, and three of us shared it. It was amazing and we tipped our waiter generously. I would give this place a higher rating, but the night I was there, the kitchen was out of service (without a sign on the door or notation on the menu or anything, or notice from our waiter until we asked about a food menu), the music on the stereo was really not conducive to the atmosphere, and the bathrooms were sub-par in terms of cleanliness.
(3)Paul M.
A bunch of friends and I went here to celebrate my birthday, it was a 13 party table but we had called ahead in advance to let them know we were coming on a Saturday night, etc. First off - the beer menu is amazing... but right then and there we hit a problem, about 6 of the beers that people ordered were out of stock - total math was 6/9 different types of beer (not everyone was drinking) were apparently out of stock. I should also mention before my next critique that the place was remarkably dead for a Saturday night - it was my party of 13 and 2 other parties of 2 in the entirety of the pub. That being said, the service was remarkably terrible, the waitress didn't end up writing anything down and constantly kept forgetting both drinks and food. At one point after she brought out all the food she asked two of my friends if they'd like something, one of them pointed out that he'd in fact already ordered when everyone else did and was still waiting for his Shephard's pie - his girlfriend just didn't bother wondering if her mac and cheese would even be brought out... after 3 hours of us being there it was not - but at least they didn't try and bill us for it. Overall the wait-staff is absolutely terrible, I understand we were a large party but it was absolutely dead with 3 waitresses on only one helping us and if you're going to not write down orders then at least remember them - no one is going to judge you if you have to write something down to get it correctly (or at least I won't). For the level of business they seemed to be experiencing it would have been nice to not wait up to 30 minutes for the beer we ordered between trying to flag the waitress down from texting on her phone to waiting to hear that "sorry we're out of x". I should also mention that this place is NOT cheap - at least on the menu there is a good beer selection (if they have it that is) but the prices are definitely geared towards brown/risd students and those who can afford the inflated east side residences. That being said I'd say you're better off exploring beer via beeradvocate.com and yankee spirit liquors in Attleboro, MA for a cheaper and more efficient experience.
(2)Derek T.
For a bar with so many beers i was a bit disapointed that they only had a few on tap. There is a lot of choice bit, for me, it lacked a bit of soul. Also if you are going to call yourself an English bar you need to know what the difference is between English vs Brittish vs Irish.... just saying!
(2)Greg S.
Just because a place doesn't have a ton of drafts doesn't mean the beer selection isn't good. This place has over 200 bottles, I've had over 80 so far. Someone compared this place to Wick Pub? Not even close. Wick has half the amount of bottles and half of those are crappy domestics like Bud, Bud Light and even awful imports like Corona and Heineken. Not that those beers aren't at the Cellar, but they have SO many more, better beers. The food is good for a pub. I wouldn't go there just for the food, but when you combine it with great beers, good atmosphere and great bar service, you get 5 stars. And actually, if you go for their beer dinners to the food is unbelievable. And to that dude complaining about $2.50 for a soda...I've worked in restaurants a lot and that's the standard soda price at a sit-down restaurant, you just gotta deal with it. Maybe don't order a soda at a beer bar?
(5)Lucy G.
I came here with some friends after dinner and I must say I was surprised at how much I enjoyed being in a cold dark basement. I am not really a Beer person but I had some Cider (cant think of the name sorry guys it was a sweet one though) and it was pretty good. They told me that a lot of the beer offered you don't find at a lot of other places so thats a plus. The waitress we had was nice and fast with the orders. You could play pool in the back if it was open and its just a very chill place to go and relax and get a buzz. I will be going back for lunch and do an update. And if your there definitely get a picture inside the red telephone box....I wonder how much it is to make a collect call???
(3)Paul S.
My son and I were touring Brown and RISD and dropped in here as my random choice. It had the look of places I've liked in the past so we took a chance and went for it for lunch. I have to say, it was beyond my expectations! I had a bowl of local clam chowder and a glass of ale on tap. Yes! Just great, with lots of good sized clam chunks, buttery taste and all. My son had the fish and chips made from Atlantic cod. The fish and the chips were superb! Whoever they have in the kitchen knows how to do this! The fish batter was light, thin and crispy - almost a bit like Japanese tempura, but with the slightly heavier English spin on it. The fries were great and the table had the appropriate vinegar to go with it. In all, delicious! The staff was just great from reception to meal service. Some of the reviewers took exception to the attentiveness, but I thought it was about right and that I enjoyed the sincere interest they seemed to take in our college search tour. Since they are from the area, they had intelligent comments on activities in the area and such. This is not as common as one might hope in a lot of restaurants nowadays. To cap it off, we went to have a "father-son pool game" moment in the back room. The table is in good shape and just costs a dollar a game. The cues and equipment are all maintained, too. Nice. As we played, we met Bert, the owner, and had a chance to chat with him. Apparently, the restaurant has just recently been changed from the "Liquid Lounge Sports Grill" to the Alehouse. It didn't originally have a full meal menu and it was pretty much a standard sports bar. The redecoration, giant beer selection and food are all new. I think they've done a great job for the amount of time the place has been around and told this to Bert. Come here, you won't regret it!
(5)Josh F.
The euphemism "good enough for government work" comes to mind here. This place is good enough to come back to but not one to come to on a consistent basis unless you're in to the beer menu (which is pretty decent). Not the best beer menu in the city, but certainly respectable. The food is so-so.
(3)Peter G.
In a dark basement - good English comfort food and a wide range of beers. Sat at the bar - an obnoxious couple occupied 4 bar stools. The girl was sat on one stool with her legs on another and her shopping on a third stool. She saw we were looking to sit at the bar and never moved. Bartender shoulda moved em. We sat at the end of the bar next to another obnoxious female who had one of those piercing loud high pitched voices that gets everywhere. We ate quick and left. We'll be back - but probably wont be sitting at the bar again.
(4)Laura S.
Out of all of the bars I've tried in Providence, this is hands-down the best for showing up with a big group. I've been here on a few occasions with groups of 8-16, and it's the kind of place that can really handle a group of this size. They have nice large tables where you can sit but that also allow for standing, so you can wander and mingle - that way you're not stuck talking to the 2-3 people around you and missing out on getting to even see the rest of the people you came with! The menu has a ton of variety and you can also order from the upstairs menu. Something for everybody, at every price point! I haven't been wowed by the food, but it's definitely solid. The drink list is exhaustingly extensive, there is no excuse for not finding something you'll enjoy. The food isn't good enough that I'd be tempted to go just for dinner, but anytime I have more than 3 friends who want to get together for drinks and food, this is where we're heading!
(4)Jennifer E.
The English Cellar is one of those places that seems cooler than it actually is. It has a good location (right off of Thayer) which is a short walking distance from my apartment. It has a decent beer selection (boasting 200 plus beers, although only about 8-10 on draft). On the other hand, on the weekend evenings, when all the college kids are out partying, it gets loud, boisterous (and not in the good way). I don't mind a place being loud because of people having a good time or if there is a good live band playing. I do, however, mind when the management is playing crappy 90s rap music so loud you can't have a conversation with the person right next to you. There was table service in the bar, but our waitress never came back after stating she would give us a few minutes to look over the beer menu. The person busing our tables was rude in a non verbal way. The beer is also pretty expensive, but I excpected that at an establishment aimed at wealthy college kids. I will probably be back because it is convenient and they are open until 2am, but it is definitely not the prime choice if you are looking for a real English pub or to have a conversation with friends. If you are looking for a place to drink expensive beers and watch college kids get hammered, then you are in luck. I am giving the Cellar three stars instead of two only because both times I have gone have been on weekend nights and I do believe I would have had a different experience on a quieter night. They also get an extra star for a great beer selection and the fact that the manager is very friendly.
(3)Brian P.
I've been here a few times, and depending on when you go, it is two completely different bars. Some nights it's a quiet bar where you can hang out, drink, and have a conversation with the person next to you. Other nights, it is college bar central, where you wait forever to get served, have to elbow your way to the bar, and the noise level is horrendous. They have a huge selection of beers, and the staff is friendly and quite knowledgeable.
(3)Abby M.
So on my first trip to The English Cellar Alehouse i had just returned from London, which is like a second home to me, and was excited to discover this place. Things that were great: They had a variety of ciders available... and I'm not talking your run of the mill Woodchuck. Things that did not excite me... my "Big Ben Burger"... served on an english muffin... I mean really??? Trip #2 left some of us baffled as they do have an extensive beer list but we had to go through a few of our top choices before we got one that they actually had either in stock or on tap. I tried the chix pot pie this time... and definitely never will again. Also... why would you ever need a kobe beef hot dog??? Regardless, go for the cider, the drinks, the friendliness of the wait staff, the trivia that they have EVERY Sunday night at 7:30pm... and try to eat before you get there :) It is defiantly more of a drinking place :)
(3)Meg M.
It seems everyone that has reviewed this place just kind of randomly stumbled apon it and I am no different. Came here during the holiday season looking for a place to have a casual supper that wasn't college budget fare. Decided to check out the pub and really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere. This is definately a cozy winter nook, not somewhere I would go in the summer when the sun is shining. Had the spinach dip with the fried pita chips for an appetizer and it was really good, although very heavy. For my meal I had the fish and chips (had to get something British obviously), which was awesome and a huge portion. My bf had the chowder and a chicken special that were both decent though not great . He got outordered on this round. Awesome beer list with an impressive selection from all over the globe and the region. Service was pleasant and the pool table outback looked like a fun spot to be on a weekend winter night out. Next time want to come back to get my drink on and globe trot the beer list.
(4)Sophie R.
my sister told me i should check this place out, based on the beer selection. they have over 200 beers!! pretty sure they beat out the muse tavern and must hold some kind of record. they even have organic and gluten free which is nice. the ambiance is just a little underwhelming. wish it were a little more interesting and more english pub styled. food is typical fried pub fare. nothing special. but if you're just going to experience an inconceivably vast selection of fermented grains and fruits, hey, you're in the right place.
(3)R P.
This place was suggested to me by a friend whose opinion I tend to trust, so I stopped in for a bite since I was in the area. The place was open and inviting. The beer selection impressive. The menu consists of English favorites like Fish and Chips and Bangers and Mash. The Fish and Chips were tasty, proper English-style. Young's Double Chocolate Stout on tap, and things like Boddington's. Lots of bottles to choose from if you don't fancy a selection on tap. Definitely a place I'll visit again!
(4)Jeff M.
Never worry about running out of beer choices at this place. The atmosphere is unique, the food is alright, simple menu.
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