The Bars of the Upper Cape – Part I: Bourne and Falmouth

Whether you work off-Cape and like to have a quick drink before returning home or are looking for a weekend watering hole when spending time with friends, the Upper Cape has plenty of options.

You'll find dozens of bars and pubs in Bourne and Falmouth alone, each having a unique atmosphere and many providing excellent food options.

All of these bars enjoy central locations near major roadways on the Upper Cape, so give a few of them a try after buying a house on Cape Cod to determine your favorites.

In the first part of a two-part series, here's a look at some places to stop for a drink in Bourne and Falmouth on the Upper Cape.

Bars, Pubs, and Restaurants in Bourne, MA

Bourne is full of great activities and is an accessible town for commuters because it's only about an hour from both Providence and Boston. Whether you're returning home from a long day at the office or exhausted after a day at Monument Beach, places for a drink or meal are aplenty in Bourne.

Soon after crossing the Bourne Bridge, you'll come across the Trading Post Lounge, a local bar that specializes in pizza, seafood, and pub-style food. The bar has pool tables, domestic and imported beer, and even some local options on tap, making it a comfortable place to pop in or spend a few hours enjoying the company of some friends.

The Lobster Trap Restaurant is a short distance from the Trading Post Lounge on Shore Road, and it combines a kitchen, a bar, and a fresh seafood market. As a result, you can head in for a quick beer before grabbing some food from the market to cook at home or stick around for a lobster roll or something from the raw bar.

At the north end of Pocasset Town Forest is Weary Travelers, a masonic clubhouse with a bar that is open to the public. Weary Travelers hosts a fish fry every Friday night, with all proceeds going to charity, and has a variety of events throughout the year. The bar is hidden and doesn't look like much from the outside, but you won't find better value anywhere else on the Upper Cape.

With a name like The Bog Pub, you might expect a dive bar, but this venue is actually pretty upscale and has a diverse menu with items like crab cakes, burgers, chicken cordon blue, steak frites, and mushroom risotto. There's also live music on Thursdays and Saturdays, a great outdoor patio, and a full bar with craft beer and artisan cocktails.

Before Route 28 leaves Bourne and enters Falmouth, you'll come across the Courtyard Restaurant & Pub. Much like The Bog Pub, the Yard has a menu featuring local seafood and New England favorites and a bar area where you can sit and enjoy a drink. There's a courtyard with fire pits, as well, if you'd like to relax outside.

Falmouth, MA Bars and Restaurants

Places to stop in for a drink keep coming as you enter Falmouth, as you'll find bars and pubs in every section of the town, particularly in the downtown area.

Bucatino Restaurant and Wine Bar is in North Falmouth, not far from The Cape Club golf course, Megansett Beach, and the Frances Crane Wildlife Management Area, making it a pleasant place to stop after a day in the sun. The restaurant has Italian cuisine, and there's a bar area if you'd just like to pop in for a glass of wine or pint of beer.

As you move into the downtown Falmouth area, there are bars and restaurants everywhere, starting with Quahog Republic's Dive Bar. In this case, the term dive bar doesn't mean run-down but rather bar with a relaxing atmosphere where you can stop for a drink or some award-winning quahog chowder, among other local favorites.

Another local favorite in downtown Falmouth is a sports bar called DJ's Famous Wings, which has a full bar with specialty frozen cocktails, and domestic, imported, and craft beers. Of course, the pub specializes in chicken wings but also serves other pub-style dishes like ribs, burgers, and sandwiches. Every booth has a TV, as well, so you can pick and choose which games you want to watch.

Flynnie's Bar 3 is another sports bar that is just down the street from DJ's. The menu at Flynnie's has anything you could want from a pub, including appetizers, burgers, burritos, pizza, seafood plates, and ribs. They also have pool tables, plenty of televisions, and a full bar, making this an ideal place to catch the game on the weekend.

Down in Woods Hole, Quicks Hole Tavern is a three-story restaurant with farm-to-table cuisine, local seafood, and a fully-stocked bar. If you just want a drink, the pub at the Quicks Hole Tavern opens at 3:00 PM every afternoon and features rotating taps and tons of artisan cocktails. There's often live music in the summer, too.

Last but not least is Landfall Restaurant in Woods Hole. The Landfall's seaside bar has a very creative drink menu and wonderful fresh squeezed cocktails. Constructed of wood taken from ship wrecks and boards from old buildings, Landfall's dining room is authentic Cape Cod.

 

Find Your Watering Hole on the Upper Cape

This list only touches on the bars and pubs you'll find throughout Falmouth and Bourne, so it'll take some time to figure out which one you'd like to make your regular stop. At the same time, all of these venues have an appeal to them, so there's nothing wrong with choosing a different one each time you head out for a drink.

Next time, we'll explore even more pubs and bars on the Upper Cape in Mashpee and Sandwich, giving you even more close-to-home options.