Located midway down Green St., across from the recently purchased and renovated, Cove Music Hall, The Hangover Pub is perfectly placed for Worcester locals in search of a bacon fix. The small bar and restaurant, located at 102 Green St., stakes claim to the old Center Grille location. There is a brand new beautiful, rustic wood bar and copper top tables, where cocktails leave ring marks, and add even more character to the intimate space. Local artists adorned on the warm red walls are illuminated by single bulbs hanging from the ceiling above each table and the sweet sounds of Amy Winehouse and Bill Withers, provide an eclectic and chill vibe. The atmosphere is perfect for a night out with friends or even a romantic dinner.
When you see the menu at The Hangover Pub, you will understand just how difficult a decision it is to actually find something for dinner. Not for any reason other than, everything looks and sounds amazing! Having gone to The Hangover Pub prior to the visit with The Foodies, I found myself better prepared to set forth a plan of attack. The Man Candy- brown sugar and maple glazed bacon is “melt in your mouth” wonderful, with the perfect balance of sweet and savory and the Crab and Bacon cakes rank among the best crab cakes I have ever had. This time we went for the Smoked Parmesan and House Cured Bacon Potato Chips and Pork Belly and Goat Cheese Rangoon. Let me tell you, the chips were amazing! The chips were crispy and dark on the edges and had an excellent crunch, while the Parmesan provided extra salty flavor. The rangoon were great too and came to the table piping hot! The exterior of the rangoon was crisp and crunchy. They were served with a soy-fig sauce that had a really neat salty, yet sweet flavor and provided a nice tang to offset the sweetness of the goat cheese and pork. (Also, even though I didn’t have it this time, I would highly recommend The House Smoked Bacon and Clam Chowder. It is so creamy and delicious; you will be scraping the bowl with your spoon.) If I could make a recommendation, bring a couple friends and share a few apps, they are cheap and the perfect size for sampling!
For my main course, I opted for the Steak Frites, prepared medium. The steak was tender and cooked to a perfect pink center. The watercress cilantro chimichurri sauce was something I was worried about, to be honest, because I didn’t know what watercress was and I was pretty sure I’ve never had it before. I have a number of food allergies, primarily to tree nuts, so I am always conscious when it comes to sauces. The waitress assured me I would be fine and that there were no nuts, so I went with the sauce and I am so glad that I did. The freshness of the sauce and the beautiful bright green of the cilantro really brought out the flavor in the dish. Making sure to dip each juicy piece steak and drag some sauce with each morsel provided the perfect bite and combination of flavors. The meal was served with truffle fries that were sprinkled with pecorino cheese, and I cannot recommend enough to order the fries when you come to The Hangover Pub! The thick cut fries were cooked to a flawless crisp and the lemon truffle combination along with the pecorino, tingled my taste buds. I would certainly recommend getting the Steak and Frites for a meal as I am sure I will be getting it again!
The service at The Hangover Pub was absolutely wonderful. We had a number of waiters and waitresses waiting on us and making sure that our every need was met. The owner even made a point to check on us every so often to make sure we had everything we needed and to guarantee everything tasted excellent, which it did! Drinks were refilled quickly and the dinners arrived in a timely fashion, especially considering the size of the party. The Hangover Pub is definitely at the top of their game when it came to fulfilling their customers’ expectations. Usually when a restaurant is newer you would expect it to be a little slow, but The Hangover Pub has the chemistry and flow of a more tenured establishment.
Overall, after my second experience at The Hangover Pub, I definitely plan to go again in the future. The genuine excitement the owner has for growing this restaurant and making it into something better, is refreshing! As a Worcester native and regular Green St. hopper, I am very excited to see this area of the city thriving like I always believed it should. & with such a fun and different menu, you won’t find another place like it anywhere else!
