The Red Herring

The Red Herring is a quirky addition to «downtown» Williamstown. It has a different character than anywhere else on Spring Street, and I appreciate the variety. I’ve never seen it crowded, and the opening/​closing times seem inconsistent (it seems to open around 5 – 5:30 pm), but it is a chill place to have a drink or meal.

A Williams College bar. The scene seemed decent, but the service was not that great. Good atmosphere, though!

I live in Williamstown and I’m surprised how few local people know about the Red Herring. I find it a nice place to go for a drink and a bite to eat. Drinks are reasonably priced and they have a local beer or two on tap with their other selections. The menu is limited, but I have always been impressed with the food. It’s also reasonably priced and I have yet to have a bad meal there.

Best burger in town, hands down! They always prepare mine how I ask and I have never had issues. The beef always tastes so great. They serve a side of Sriracha mayo with their fries, which is delicious. I have talked with the owner several times and he is very nice.
There are a couple things holding this place back though. It has good beers, but limited selection and the menu is limited too. Give me some chicken wings, please! It’s not a great late night place unless you’re looking to pound some PBRs with the college crowd, which isn’t all that bad if you’re in the mood for it.

I went here about a month ago with my boyfriend on a weeknight for a beer or two. The beers were cheap and cold, so that’s good. The bar was sticky and there were a ton of fruit flies bugging us– not cool. Also, the bartender smoked a cigarette around the corner, I presume outside, but the smoke smell was overwhelming. After reading these reviews, I suppose my qualms about this place don’t matter since it seems to cater to a college crowd. I probably would not return when I am in the area again.

Shout out to Scotty the most chill bartender in New England. This guy can hold a conversation with the best of ‘em and turns an otherwise average bar into a great place to grab a few drinks.
Picture this… there’s an eclectic crowd at the bar made up of scruffy Appalacian Trail thru-​hikers, uppity Williams students in their pearls and bowties, old locals and tourist just passing through. Scott managed to make all of us feel welcome and part of the conversation and the atmosphere. Job well done.

I gave them one star and that is too much. The burger was blood red when I wanted it cooked, the food was not very good, and I think the bartender was drunk at 6 pm. Don’t go here to eat, for a beer maybe, it does have a nice place outside to eat.

It seems perverse that a dive bar like this can exist in a hoity-​toity burg like Williamstown but there it is. I hear the college kids come here en masse late in the evenings but I’m an old man and that’s past my bedtime.
Arrive around dinner time 5 – 7 on a weekday and you’ll have the place pretty much to yourself save for a savvy couple or two who know the local Ioka Farm burgers are amazing (toss some bacon on there and die happy).

limited selection of mixed drinks, sadly. prices are ok though, so i can’t complain.

So what happens when you are in the middle of the Berkshires, no cable TV at your B&B, and the nearest Inn is having a 50^th high school reunion and you want to watch the Red Sox in the ALCS? Check Unilocal and find out where all the Williams College kids go.
Apparently they go to the Red Herring. For some UNGODLY reason, Joe thought that they might not be playing the Sox game. Why something like that would make sense to him is beyond me. So of course, he makes ME call them to see if they are playing the game.
I call. They happily tell me that the Sox are winning 2 – 1. I take that as their version of telling me they are playing the game. So we tra-​la-​la-​la-​la over to the Red Herring.
The entrance to the place is in the movie theater, why that makes sense, I don’t know. The place was extremely empty, where are all the college kids? Not like I’m disappointed or anything, just… confused. The TVs are not up to Boston sports bar par, but we aren’t in Boston anymore Toto. These TVs are not plasma, but good old tube TVs. Nor are they 42″ beauties, but fall along the lines of maybe 24″. Good thing we were able to find a table near one of these ancient artifacts.
The place is no frills. The drinks however, are nice, and CHEAP. I got a mudslide for about $ 5.00 and it wasn’t the size of a thimble. So, they have a one up on the Boston bars, I guess.
Didn’t sample the food, but if you find yourself stuck in the Berkshires with nary an alcoholic drink or TV in sight, head over to Williamstown and the Red Herring

Ever heard of Williamstown, Massachusetts? Nope, me either. But, I’ve been there and it’s a picturesque little ass college town. It’s up in the north west part of Massachusetts where Vermont and New York come together breathing heavily on our happy little state. Well, there’s not a whole heck of a lot to do here, so do what I do best, drink. I found the Red Herring underneath in a Movie Theater (literally) and decided that was reason enough to go in. Good lord, it’s like the only bar in town and that means that every 21+ college kid is going to be there whenever you go so go early. The place ain’t all that bad, it ain’t all that good — but it’s there and they have food and drink. Some decent beers on tap, some pretty good chicken wings and a very stony and happy bartender on Saturday afternoons. It’s all good bro, check out the Herring.