With the Red Sox facing the hated Yankees in the American League Championship Series, every die-hard Sox fan headed down to New York Tuesday night to cheer for the hometown boys as they took on the Evil Empire for the second year in a row.
My friends and I, being slightly less die hard and considerably more broke than those who could afford tickets to the series, decided to show our support for the Sox in a slightly more cost-effective manner.
Rather than trucking it all the way down to the Big Apple or camping out right outside Fenway Park in hopes that some wealthy patron might take pity on us and give us last-minute tickets, we decided to get away from the so-called riots that the Tufts police were so nervously awaiting and head downtown to catch the game at one of Boston's numerous sports bars.
Who's On First, the big name bar located inside of Fenway, was immediately ruled out due to its hefty price tag and a couple of downtown taverns were similarly eliminated thanks to a pair of incidents last year that involved the stigmata associated with cheering for the home team when one happens to lack a Bahston accent.
As such, we were forced to resort to something a bit more local. The Cambridge Common isn't the first place one thinks of as a Boston sports bar, considering that it's located just down Mass Ave. near quiet Porter Square, but it's perfectly suited for catching a big game.
Televisions are scattered through the bar area to allow patrons to watch their favorite teams play, and a big-screen TV in the right half of the tavern lets restaurant-goers watch the action as they eat.
The Common is perhaps most celebrated for the 24 different beers that it keeps on tap and by the end of the first inning, it was clear that we were going to have to sample all of them to make it through the night. The regular on-call beers, which range from staples like Miller and Budweiser to left-field choices like Woodchuck Cider, are complemented each evening by five or six specials, all of which usually go for about $3 -$5.
Recently, the Common has been showcasing their autumn taps, which include a variety of local light beers and harvest ales. The Cambridge Pumpkin Ale in particular comes highly recommended, with a flavorful aftertaste that does well to capture the feel of the season.
But drinks alone can't make an evening, especially when you're rooting for the Red Sox. We may not have had peanuts and cracker jacks, but the Common has more than enough to satisfy one's appetite.
Most appetizers range in price from $4-10, and the menu includes comfort staples like curly fries and tater tots. More adventurous bar-goers can try the Mediterranean platter or the fried pickles, which taste a lot better than they sound.
The tavern is also well known for its regular menu. Sandwiches and hamburgers are usually around $5-7, and there are plenty of vegetarian options available, like the "portabella-pretending-to-be-a-burger" or the macaroni and cheese.
The Common also serves some traditional English pub fare, from various sausage specials to fish and chips or beef stew, and features a handful of specials every night, including the occasional pizza or pasta dish.
Considering that we were there to watch the Red Sox, there was no better choice for a snack than the bar's "Boston Ballpark" special. Two hot dogs, a basket of fries, and cheap beer (all for $10) was more than enough to keep us going through the early innings.
The Common attracts a much more varied horde than most of the other bars we'd previously been to in Boston. Patrons ranged from college-age and upwards, but even during the week, the crowd is a lot more laid-back than in most bars.
And if you hit it on just the right night, you might even be lucky enough to witness one of the seven-minute dating programs that frequently call the Common home. Lots of desperate people, nervously sipping their drinks as they try to make conversation? Instant entertainment!
One would expect that a handful of hyped-up college students would get a few odd looks in a local hangout, even during the ALCS, but we didn't get more than a glance our way the entire evening.
Despite the higher-than-usual average age, the entire place was completely focused on the bar's televisions, and as the Sox staged their comeback, we were exchanging high fives and catcalls with the other patrons like we were just part of the gang.
By the end of the seventh, we still weren't quite ready to call the Yankees our daddy, so we decided to check out the mixed drink menu to keep our spirits up. Though the price tag can get a bit dicey (most range from $6-8), the menu always features a couple of specials that are a bit less expensive, and the bar itself is well equipped to rise to any challenge a thirsty patron might care to set.
Like most of the other customers on Tuesday night, we stayed to the end of the last inning. It wasn't until the Yankees were jogging back to their dugouts, the last out in hand, that we groaned along with everyone else and finally began to trudge from our seats.
Red Sox loss or not, the Cambridge Common is still the place to head for a relaxed evening out on the town. With their wide selection of beers on tap and their well-rounded menu, even the pickiest Yankees fan is certain to find something here to keep them happy.
