B-Line Bar Hopping
Two great joints, a few T stops away
by Karen Hofreiter

There are times when you just want to go where everyone knows your name—or at least, where you feel everyone could know your name. In other words, friendly and congenial places where you can sip familiar average-Joe beer and scarf familiar pig-out favorites in the presence of familiar—or seemingly familiar—faces. No hostile dress codes, no plates of museum-worthy food arrangements, no bills the size of your weekly paycheck; rather, a place to just be your sneaker wearing, bed head sporting, sweatshirt clad self.

If this relaxed scenario sounds preferable to another frigid winter night spent indoors with Domino’s delivery and a can of Bud, get off the couch and head straight to two of Boston’s “no pre-preening necessary” establishments: The Avenue and Roggie’s Brew and Grille.

The Avenue (1249 Commonwealth Ave, Allston, 617.782.9508) seemed like a good place to pass a cold, drizzly Saturday evening. As we approached, soft lights glowed from beyond the steamy windows, emanating a sense of cozy warmth. Chilled by the cold wind whipping down Comm. Ave, I looked forward to settling in a quiet corner both and nursing a creamy pint of Guinness. I should have known better—this is Allston, after all! As we walked in, I was immediately overwhelmed (in a good way) by media madness. I counted at least 10 large flat screen televisions, and looking around, I felt like I was in the middle of a video game.

For 5pm on a Saturday night, the place was already animated with jean clad college students and cheering sports fans gulping beers and munching on nachos. The Avenue has what every “college bar next door” should have: a warm yet no frills atmosphere peppered with beer ad posters and eclectic props, friendly and prompt service, a healthy selection of tap beer, and a menu of traditional bar food “must-haves”—nachos, burgers and wings. The Avenue smartly offers breakfast all day, so if you are craving a delightfully greasy plate of fried eggs and bacon after a couple pints, you don’t have to go in search of a late-night diner. We arrived in time for their Saturday night wing special (Saturdays, 4-7pm, 30 cents per wing), which comes with your choice of sauces. The wings were meaty and cooked nicely, with a pleasantly crispy skin and a flavorful hot sauce. An order of the heaping nachos came next, piled with real cheese (none of that bright orange Cheese Whiz stuff), pico de gallo and loads of jalapenos. The chips were still crispy and full of “real corn” flavor. And of course, we couldn’t leave without trying the half pound burger, which came with thick hand cut fries. Hearty, juicy and blanketed with a thick slice of melted cheese, one person at the table described it as “a two and a half napkin burger.”

Roggie’s Brew and Grille (356 Chestnut Hill Ave, Brighton, 617.566.1880, www.roggies.com) was where we headed another cold and icky Saturday evening, this time with a piping hot pizza pie in mind. The large dining room is open and airy, with high ceilings, booths along the walls and tables scattered in the middle. There is a bar to one side. The place was humming with the expected college crowd and also a few families and middle age couples.

The beer list is impressive, with over 40 beers on tap. Even though they didn’t have Sapporo that night, they did have my beloved Leinenkugel—“Leinies” as we call them in the Midwest, and a rare find in the Northeast—which endeared Roggie’s to me instantly. The food menu is impressive, too—impressively long, that is: every appetizer imaginable, a raw bar, salads, soups, sandwiches and subs, burgers, seafood, Mexican, ribs, steaks, BBQ, pasta and pizza. Unfortunately, with so many choices, it wasn’t possible to try a smattering of everything, so we stuck with the pizza Roggie’s is known for. We ordered a large pie with pepperoni and red peppers. It was delectable — the crust was chewy and soft, with a thickness somewhere between pan crust and thin crust. The pie was smothered in fantastically gooey cheese, the kind that stretches all the way from the pan to your plate. The thick cut, meaty and spicy pepperoni was a far cry from the typical anemic, paper thin slices. While we did not try any of the entrees, we watched as titanic sized portions of burgers and pasta passed by our table. If you want, you can match those seriously healthy portions with a monster “tank” of beer, enough to keep you and your friends well lubricated throughout the night.