The OtherSide Cafe

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407 Newbury St (at Massachusetts Avenue)
Boston, MA 02115

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(617) 536-8437
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meh

so i saw the chimay umbrellas outside and knew i had to try this place out. i was told by friends its not that good, but what do they know right, i mean it has chimay umbrellas. s...

not worth it! 9/1/2011

one star for location, but that's it. It's not just a question of staff attitude but a question of prejudicial profiling by the guy at the door. Two Spanish speaking friends were meeting me and my wife there for beers and snacks and the man at the door demanded a U.S. passport from my friends, a Massachusetts driver's license wasn't good enough! Weird place too. The locale was half empty but they wouldn't let anybody else in unless other people left. Was there a problem with the fire marshal? Don't know. They couldn't explain it when you asked. My friends and I left in disgust and headed down to the House of Blues for the Manu Chao concert. Had a blast! more
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meh 5/19/2010

so i saw the chimay umbrellas outside and knew i had to try this place out. i was told by friends its not that good, but what do they know right, i mean it has chimay umbrellas. so we get there and im instantly disappointed. small draft list, although its a good selection for the size. overpriced beer. we order nachos, im hungry but already wary of this place so im unwilling to commit to even a sandwich until i see the nachos. good thing i waited to order lunch, or in this case not order lunch. id say worst nachos ever, but then you will just imagine sub par nachos. these were worse. small and unpleasant, and nearly cheeseless. i mean really, who cant make nachos. so we finished our overpriced beers and left, never to go back. Pros: ummm Cons: price, beer selection, food more
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Hipster Hangout 5/11/2010

Do you have a host/hostess or not? Coming to the OtherSide, I am usually confused in how to be seated there. This just might be me, but I never know to wait or sit right down. When I finally figure out how to sit down, I dive into their menu. It's pretty extensive with many raw, vegan and vegetarian options, some gluten-free too. A lot of my friends have special diets and I was a veg for some years, so there are plenty of options for any diet. If you can make it here before 3pm on the weekend, get some brunch. The french toast is killer and the heuvos rancheros is a crazy good combo of egg, chilli and cornbread. On the regular menu, the mock chicken salad is healthy and surprisingly filling. Overall, I've never had a bad meal at the OtherSide. The service can be slow and it gets real busy on the weekends. The have a patio with one or two tables outside for warm days. Of all the times, I've been there the patio tables have been full. I'm pretty sure it would be a miracle if I ever did get to sit out there. But, if I ever do get to sit out there, I think it would be the first time I wouldn't be confused about the hostess situation. Pros: veggie options galore, good atmosphere Cons: loud more
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not for everyone 1/16/2009

The Other Side is a remnant of a time when Boston was a lot less homogenized and a lot more interesting. Yes, there's loud music. Yes, the wait staff sometimes have a little attitude. But does every place in Boston need to be like Stephanie's on Newbury? If you like a place with a little character, good food and beer with vegetarian options, go to The Other Side. If not, Stephanie's is right down the street... Pros: music, atmosphere, mezzanine, veggie fare more
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Too loud; lame waitstaff 12/3/2008

Had lunch there today with some friends. I chose The Otherside Cafe because my friends are vegetarians and there are many vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. We hadn't seen each other in a long time and wanted to catch up since they were in Boston for the day. The music was so loud that we had to yell across the table. I don't mind the vibe and I certainly don't mind loud Elvis Costello, but we had to yell across the table. When I asked a server if he could turn the music down a notch because we were trying to talk, he said: ""This is how loud we usually have the music here."" I told him we could not converse. He stated: ""Just so you know, we will turn it down a little, but this is how loud we keep the music here."" Funny, I thought restaurants were all about the customer and not the waitstaff. The food was great; service was poor (ie clearing plates before you're finished.) Skip it. Pros: Great, fresh food. Big salads. Cons: Too loud. Servers have bad attitudes . more
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Great Hostess - Poor customer service otherwise 7/28/2008

My wife and I went to the Otherside on 7/26/08 as we live in the city and had read about its nachos. First, let me start out with the good news: The hostess was an absolute sweetheart. My wife is 8+ months pregnant and, seeing our status, the hostess bumped us up on the waiting list and gave us a great seat on the outdoor patio. It also had a good beer selection. Unfortunately, the service was not good (although staff seemed like a nice group in general) and food was nothing special (especially the nachos that we had read about). I guess I just chalk this one up to knowing what you're getting yourself into - If you're interested in some good people watching at the expense of food and service, give it a try. Pros: Great hostess, good beer selection, good people watching Cons: Poor service, average food (at best) more
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Chill out with some good food and a micro brew 7/5/2008

I have been going to the Other Side for years and have never had a reason to complain. more
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Worst Service of ALL TIME. 6/13/2008

I have eaten out all over the world, but I have never recieved such bad service as at the Otherside. Our server Taylor (Or Tyler) might be the worst server in the city. We ordered a pitcher of sangria, which took a good half hour to arrive, before we even ordered food. He then proceeded to tell us that he ""dropped"" a spoon into the pitcher, and dont be ""Suprised"" if we find it in the drink...... I kid you not, I am in no way exadurating! Pros: Nothing! Cons: Everything possible! more
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Just try it 4/2/2008

These negative reviewers are crazy. I headed over for dinner last night after admiring the place from afar for the last years or so. We had 2 apps (cheese and fruit plate and antipasto) and 2 sandwiches (veritarian and turkey press). ALL were wonderful. The food was super fresh and extremely affordable. The most pleasant suprise was just how large the portions are. I usually veto ""heatly"" restaurants because I need two entrees to get full. Not the case here. I also have to commend how great the proscuitto was on the antipasto. For a place that touts Vegan and Raw fare the meat was exceptional. We tried a few a their extensive beer selections and a very interesting Sake Bloody Mary (huge, for those portion freaks like me). Pros: affordable, fresh, healthy, fun, lots of beer Cons: slightly too loud music more
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Painful Sunday Brunch 11/11/2007

If you love headbanging Janis Joplin while you have your Sunday Brunch, this is your place. Screaming rock and roll so loud you can hardly hear yourself. When we asked if the music had to be this raucous, the man behind the counter curtly replied ""yes"" and walked off with attitude. When he found out he was our waiter, he somehow became this fairly friendly fellow. Pros: young crowd Cons: loud raucous music, poor omelettes. more
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HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE vegetarian chili! 9/29/2007

I may need to give their menu another shot...but their vegetarian chili was disgusting. more
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awesome place to eat and hang out 7/15/2007

i've been going to the otherside cafe' for nearly three years and simply love it. The food is always extremely fresh and leaves you really satisfied without weighing you down. The beer selection is also a force to be reckoned with and the atmosphere and decor make the place really relaxed and at the same time welcoming. if there is one thing to comment on it's the service which is often slow and not attentive.... but to be honest it also becomes one of the nice things about the otherside because you don't get harassed when eating/drinking! great for lunch and on weekends for brunch Pros: food, ambience, location, outdoor porch Cons: service, loud music at times more
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West Coast Fix 9/22/2006

Being from San Francisco, I am spoiled on having a lot of funky, interesting restaurants/bars to go to. In comparison, Boston seems a bit more homogenous and conservative, possibly because of the college/frat scene. This is why The Other Side Cafe is one of my favorite places to go when in Boston. It's original, has that funky West Coast vibe and have WEST COAST MICROBREWS, which I love! The food is innovative, great and healthy but, of course, lacks in freshness compared to what we get in California due to the lack of proximity to agriculture as we have. Pros: West Coast Funky Ambiance, Healthy, Great West Coast Beer more
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Always an Interesting Scene 1/28/2006

The Other Side Cosmic Cafe is probably my favorite place in Boston. Not only does it have an amazing beer, espresso, and juice bar selection, but the food is fresh and tasty and the ambience is always lively. Be fore-warned that the music is usually pretty loud (read: I wouldn't go here to work on a term paper or read a newspaper--although I have seen other people do it) and the service is often inefficient (irreverence is part of the whole appeal) but you can always count on a colorful, eclectic crowd, and plenty of people to engage in musical/political/philosophical debates with your people. The Other Side is more than a local hangout staple--it's that place where everybody knows your name. Pros: Delicious Food, Plenty of Personality, Loud Music Cons: Loud Music more
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funky fresh 11/7/2002

I love this place! It's a great relaxed atmosphere for a twentysomething crowd who likes healthier food, good beer, better coffee, and music Pros: inexpensive, smoke free more
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Menu for The OtherSide Cafe


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    As one of the city's few counterculture/bohemian cafes, the Other Side serves as a key meeting spot for its loyal, eccentric clientele. Students are drawn to the...

  • 10/16/2007 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Wed 11:30am-1am Thu-Fri 11:30am-2am Sat 10am-2am Sun 10am-1am
  • Payments: Cash
  • Neighborhoods: Black Bay West, Back Bay, Back Bay West
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