Lord Hobo: A Review

Nestled away in a quiet corner of Cambridge, Lord Hobo holds court. Word-of-mouth speaks of a craft beer selection unparalleled in this city defined by the diversity and expense of its brews. My earliest attempts to enter the stronghold only added to its shrouded allure. “Move along, we’re full,” said the bouncer. We went to Tommy Doyle’s instead. “Your wait will be 45 minutes,” said the next bouncer. We probably then grabbed a six-pack and parked.

The great mystery dissolved this Thursday evening when I ran the blockade and broke bread inside. The company with which I drank was of the highest quality yet our conversation could not flourish under the unwise audio aesthetics. The speakers were blasting Paul Simon, an artist suited for neither hip drinking nor blasting. Historically, I have been a Paul Simon fan. However, I am a fan of no music that is played so loud that it destroys my ability to communicate with the people in my party.

After an extended Paul Simon block, the soundtrack took a half-assed journey through the classics. Queen, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones: all legendary, all too predictable. Most upsetting, Lord Hobo neglected to include a glaringly topical legend: Prince! Prince Rogers Nelson passed away on Thursday April 21st yet somehow Lord Hobo had not received the memo.

As we waited patiently for our drinks to arrive, I assessed the crowd. Mostly white, with money to spend, not an obvious oddball among them. Lord Hobo was established in 2009 along a major fault line of gentrification. To the east lies Kendall Square, once a desolate greyveyard, today an active area of enormous wealth and power. The expansion of the tech sector has put extraordinary pressure on East Cambridge, long home to a rooted working class community. Barbershops and Caribbean record stores share neighborhood space with up-scale restaurants and unattainable condos. In contrast to other areas of Greater Boston, gentrification may appear more subdued in East Cambridge. The tension is nonetheless real. In an apparent show of solidarity, Lord Hobo features CBC’s Working Class Hero saison on its draft list.

Finally, the drinks are here! “Sorry, we’re training the bartender tonight.” I had ordered a flight to test out what Woburn-based Lord Hobo Brewery had to offer. Immediately, the presentation lost points by not properly labeling what is included. The server quickly explained the offerings, though in the cacophonous cavern, I could not hear her nor did I have time for questions. She was off.

The beers were largely indistinguishable by appearance, though with decent taste. Nothing jumped off the palette, except for perhaps the final brew, which was, I believe, a Boom Sauce IPA mixed with some sort of hot pepper infusion. Gotta love brews with a kick. The beers mixed well with a split entree of Mac and Cheese, which was actually quite good. At $15, the dish’s price is disproportionate with its delivery.

I am hesitant to critique service because, as a former server and current caterer, I empathize with staff. Serving is a challenging job. However, I have no qualms questioning the management system under which these servers must toil. Too many bussers, not enough servers. As soon as, sometimes before, provisions were finished, a disembodied hand would dart across the corner of my eye and snatch away any evidence that there had ever been diners and drinkers here. Perhaps this staff imbalance is a misguided “strategery.” The bussers clear customers out, so that new cash can be admitted and harvested. However, those who enter may be treated to a rushed and unsatisfactory service experience.

Understanding the myriad of exceptional drinking and eating establishments in Cambridge and the surrounding area, I do not expect to return to Lord Hobo any time soon. “Lord Hobo, strange name,” I thought as I began to leave. “I wonder if this place does anything to support the homeless community in Cambridge.” I asked the server, the bouncer. No one knew. A quick search yielded an answer. In 2011, Lord Hobo was one of twenty-one restaurants that participated in anti-homelessness organization Heading Home’s annual fundraiser. Reading through Lord Hobo’s event calendar, I have struggled to find anything that suggests homelessness advocacy in its recent past. Back in December though, there was a Shitty Sweater night. And I missed it.