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Backstreet Grille and Tavern

531 Pearl Street, Stoughton, MA 02072
(781) 297-0100 Find location!

Photo of Backstreet Grille and Tavern, Stoughton, MA Sometimes you can simply tell that a dining spot might not be well-known just from its name; for instance, if the word "backstreet" is in a restaurant's name, chances are it isn't exactly in the middle of a bustling city center or on a noisy four-lane thoroughfare with huge malls and shopping centers on either side of the road. And so it is with Backstreet Grille and Tavern, a homey, friendly place that is located on, well, the backstreets of Stoughton, and is a restaurant that no one really seems to know about other than those who live in the immediate area and those who do a bit of research when it comes to dining out.

Backstreet Grille and Tavern, which first opened in 2005 and used to be called Foley's Backstreet Grille until recently, is a family-friendly place that has comfortable seating in its main dining area (including a number of high-backed booths), posters of classic movies on the walls, moderately bright track lighting, and carpeting to keep the noise level down. To the right of the dining room is a fairly large bar area where folks can have a drink while watching a game or waiting for a table. The overall feel of the place is that of a neighborhood spot, but with more of a cozy feel to it than an Applebee's or a TGI Friday's. The staff at Backstreet Grille and Tavern seems to know many of the folks who come here, further giving it the feel of an almost exclusively local dining spot.

The menu at Backstreet Grille and Tavern (which has categories named after Bruce Springsteen songs) isn't what you would call adventurous, but for those who love comfort food, it will probably be tough to choose from the items offered here. Appetizers include potato skins, a tasty (and very cheesy) French onion soup, a hearty and mild chili, relatively hot boneless buffalo tenders, hand-cut onion "things", stuffed mushrooms, clam chowder, loaded tater tots which are available on special, and six different types of salads. Meals include diner food such as pastrami, chicken, and steak tip sandwiches; grill items such as teriyaki sirloin and chicken tips (both of which have a deliciously tangy marinade), baby back ribs, surf and turf, and pork chops; a burger that comes with fries but can be ordered with delicious onion "things" if you ask; a chicken finger plate with fries; and a seafood section including haddock, salmon, scallops, shrimp, and clams. There is also an Italian section that includes tasty versions of chicken marsala and chicken parmigiana along with a lasagna with meatballs that is on special, and a final section (focusing on poultry) that includes a marvelous turkey dinner with loads of tender pieces of meat, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and gravy. A children's section is also on the menu, with a number of items offered for the young ones.

Backstreet Grille and Tavern is in some ways the perfect neighborhood restaurant; it is friendly, comfortable, and reasonably-priced, and focuses mainly on familiar dishes that many diners grew up eating. Parking is no problem (they have their own lot) and crowds are relatively rare (depending on the night). And, the folks who run Backstreet Grille and Tavern really seem to take pride in being a neighborhood spot. Indeed, a note on their site says "...our restaurant is really your restaurant," implying that they will do whatever it takes to make customers happy enough to return again and again. And that, in these days of faceless chains and soulless franchises, is certainly very refreshing.