Rafters

Honestly don’t waste your time here. The customer service is awful. The manager was extremely rude to our whole table (for absolutely no apparent reason). Not to mention, the food is just so so. There are so many wonderful restaurants in Amherst, this is not worth it. Try the pub or Johnny’s tavern instead if your looking for good service and quality pub food.

Good meaty wings… same style as Hangars and Amherst. Shit… you can’t go wrong at all. Same atmosphere as the others. Tonight the staff was much more engaging than the competition. After evaluating all 3 local spots… I’ll return to Hangars before the others. In the end… you can’t go wrong at any of the three.

Great college type hang out place. Kid friendly and plenty of beer choices. Just the way I like it!

I have been going to Rafters since I was in college so over twenty years. I can honestly say over the last five years the quality of the food has gone down as the prices have skyrocketed.
The beer selection is still awsome. I still enjoy the Rafters experience however I go every three months instead of the almost every Friday night of six years ago.

So sad that their prices have gone up a portions so small. Ordered boneless wings and received five small and I mean small pieces of boneless wings that was laughable and they were not cheap! Sorry to say everything over priced for what you get

I came here on Sunday with a group of friends after running a 5k in Northampton. There were 9 of us who were cold and hungry after our run, and we couldn’t wait to have a bite to eat and rest our feet.
Unfortunately, our experience did not start off on a great note. The hostess was going to seat us at a table, and one of my friends requested that we have a booth instead, because who wouldn’t rather sit in a comfortable booth? It was about 11:30 am, there were maybe 1 – 2 other groups in the restaurant, and football games were not starting for a few hours so we did not think it would be a big deal to ask for a different seat. Man, were we wrong. The hostess gave us such an attitude, and insisted that she must check with her manager first because the booth sat 12. After she got it cleared, she threw, actually threw, our menus on the table and walked away angrily, as if we had done something to offend her.
Once we sat down, we then overhead two other waitresses who appeared to be on break say, «what the hell do they think they’re doing?,» in regards to our group. I didn’t realize that it would be such a huge deal for us to sit at a booth, and I found in it incredibly unprofessional that the waitresses were speaking that way directly behind us.
Thankfully, our experience was redeemed by our bubbly, attentive waitress (can’t remember her name). She was very nice, and helpful with us when we were trying to decide on our meals. We all ended up sharing some wings, fried pickles, and mac & cheese balls. The food came out quickly, and it was delicious; exactly what we were looking for after our run!
On our way out we passed the «grumpy» hostess, who was sitting in a booth eating, and she did not acknowledge us whatsoever.
Would I go back here? Yes, I’d give it another shot only because the food was good, and our waitress was a glimmer of hope among and overwhelmingly crabby staff. I would suggest getting rid of that hostess, thought. Customer service is not meant for her.

College bar and pub for sure good for families too. Food is simple style but done very well. Lots of beer options and a good game section. Staff is friendly and food comes out at a good pace. Casual place good for anyone, any time.

Honestly, I really don’t like this place, and I’ve gone enough times to realize it’s not just a fluke.
My most recent trip occurred during the World Cup. We went to grab a few beers, some apps and watch the game. First of all, they wouldn’t let anyone sit in the dining area with the TV’s, or at the high tables by the bar, unless you were ordering food. Not just an appetizer, and actual entrée. If the place was full, I could understand this. However, there were more than 40 (!!!) empty seats in the dining room, and they were turning away people who were going to pay money for drinks (and then would probably want food anyway), because of this stupid policy. I watched them turn away more than 20 people. Money washed down the drain, clearly whoever is in charge doesn’t know anything about economics.
But besides this, onto the food. They have wings, with some good flavors. I think the Hot is better than hangar, and if you like garlic, their garlic wings are good. Besides this, I’ve ordered a chicken sandwich, a burrito, and the nachos. All were edible, but nothing stood out; for each thing I ordered, there’s someplace else in Amherst I’d rather eat.
Want a good place to get wings besides the Hangar? Go to Arizona Pizza Company at the Hampshire mall. At least they’ll let you sit there and drink a beer without immediately putting in a food order.

A great traditional sports bar. Good beer selection and good food. Been my go to sports bar in western ma since 2002

The food was the worst I have ever had!

This place definitely brings it back to basics — nothing fancy, decent food and better service than I was expecting.
Our waitress was absolutely lovely and the free popcorn was a welcome teaser to our meal. Variety of wing flavors wasn’t so bad, except the Jamaican Jerk tasted nothing like jerk — but I can’t expect too much, I guess (I think Hangar’s wings are better). Ordered the Mud Pie for dessert, which was good as well, nothing to rave about. Overall just an «ok» spot.

Rafters seems to be the place I always bring my parents when they visit me at school. I brought them there once a couple years ago, just trying it out, and we all loved it. It’s a pretty standard sports bar. It has a pretty good selection of beer, and of course the Blue Moon on tap for my father. That’s probably why he always wants to go back. The menu is pretty typical for a bar, but nothing to complain about. My parents love to complain about little things, but I’ve never heard them complain about Rafter’s. They always seem satisfied when we leave.
Last time we went, I ordered the boneless wings, which were surprisingly really good. It was a Monday afternoon with school out of session so it was pretty empty. The waitress was very pleasant and cracked a few jokes to lighten the mood. I typically get the clam chowder in the breadbowl, which I die for at most places, and it’s always pretty good.
I never have any complaints about this place. I have yet to go there on a weekend night, but maybe I will in the future. It’s a safe place to go when you want to get a good meal in you.
Oh right, they have free popcorn!

I feel like I used to love this place if the line at The Hangar was too long.
Not any more.
Free popcorn is good.
Wings are ok (but c’mon, you’re not here for wings. If you wanted wings, you’d be next door.)
I had a chicken fajita salad. The taco shell was bland as was the entire salad. The chicken was good, but you get about a tablespoon of salsa and sour cream, the peppers and onions were dripping with grease, the pico de gallo was bland — it was that kind of salad. My wife had a chicken caesar wrap. I think it should be called a hard-​boiled egg wrap. This thing was loaded with hard-​boiled egg, had barely any dressing, and, while this is weird to complain about, had too little lettuce. A chicken caesar wrap is about the easiest thing to make and this place failed with perfection.
Go to The Hangar. Drive down the road and go to Bub’s. Go into Amherst and go literally anywhere else but this place.

Rafters used to be THE place for Alumni to gather after home football games but it has taken a hit since we moved to Gillette. The food and beer here is above average and the root beer rules, be careful because there are no free refills.

This place is located 5 minutes from the Mullins Center where Umass basketball/​hockey plays.
We stopped by here after a going to a basketball game and it was very busy which we expected. What we didn’t expect was how rude the we were treated and it wasn’t just us but most other customers simply walked out after being yelled at. They were vastly understaffed for a post-​game crowd which was shocking because it is the closest bar/​pub to UMass and they advertise to get the post-​game crowd. There was only one bartender working and she lacked even the most basic customer service skills. She was very busy which was understandable but we later found out her name is Yevette and she is the MANAGER who schedules the staff!!! So while a busy postgame crowd is expected Yevette is in charge and as a manager was only her fault they were understaffed.
She needs a big lesson on customer service! Being busy is one thing and most customers understand this but being rude and condescending like she was is another thing. If you dared ask her for a drink she would ignore you and make you wait 20 – 30 minutes before even getting a drink or food order and when she did interact with customers she made it look like she was being bothered by her. She blamed the customers for her incompetence for under staffing the bar that day.
The food wasn’t very good and not cheap. $ 7.00 for 6 in-​bone chicken wings? $ 5 for a basket for fries!!! It was cold and nothing better than you would find at an Applebees. You are better of going across the street to ABC or the Hanger for better food and service!

Stopped in for a quick lunch. The atmosphere is laid back and fun. There is a dining area, full bar with side booths and pub tables, as well as an arcade/​billiard/​game room all connected. The staff was very friendly and food arrived at a reasonable pace. The pub-​style menu has a slight edge on other pub menus with some very intriguing sandwich and app options. I ordered the Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Flatbread. It was hands down, DELICIOUS. The chicken was very generously portioned, thick boneless skinless chicken breast, and not the least bit dry. The sliced avocado was delightful and the tandoori naan (bread) was fresh, combined with a helping of toppings and a creamy chipotle mayo… This sandwich came with handcut curly fries that were thin and light, and very tasty.
My boyfriend ordered the Teriyaki Steak with Jasmine Rice Wrap, which I HAD to try. It was phenomenal and is definitely what I am going to order next time I stop in. I have been told the nightlife is quite lively at this establishment, a typical college crowd (?) hotspot. I wouldn’t mind stopping in some evening to check that out.
Overall, I enjoyed my meal, the staff, and the atmosphere for a very reasonable price. I would recommend and do look forward to my next visit.

Come on people, let’s give Rafters the 4-​star rating it deserves! Of course you need perspective on the context of these 4 stars: Rafters is a sports bar in smallish college town and you need to judge it on that basis. That said, it offers you everything you could hope for and has been doing so consistently, year over year, for as far back as I can remember.
The atmosphere is warm and homey and New England sports (or the next best option) are always playing on the giant screens. There’s a nice array of beers on tap, including local microbrews, priced right. There’s free popcorn while you wait! Service is efficient and friendly. And best of all, the food is above-​par: the pizzas are generally delicious, the clam chowder is thick, rich, and among the very best I’ve ever had, the Reuben is awesome, the Cobb salad is a serious meal, and their boneless wings blow away the overhyped competition next door at The Hangar.
Rafters is and should remain an institution in Amherst, and I always look forward to making a stop for some late night pub food whenever I’m in the area.

I have been going to Rafters since before I can remember.
It’s a rare bar/​restaurant combo where parents can take their kids and it isn’t weird. They have pool tables, air hockey, arcade and video games for kids.
It’s also a great spot for college students.
They have great monthly beer specials, great draft selections, and of course, they carry BBC beer.
Their bone-​in wings are great. However, do NOT get their boneless wings. If you want boneless, go to Hangar /​Wings over Amherst.
They could also use a few more upgraded TVs throughout the bar.

My boyfriend and I went here around 9:30 on a Friday while UMASS was still in session. There was also a Red Sox game in progress. Thus, Rafters was loud and crowded, but we were seated and given our drinks immediately and the rowdy bar patrons were good-​natured.
My boyfriend ordered two Magic Hat Vinyls and a Seadog Blueberry Wheat (both on draft) and enjoyed them equally. I ordered a Sprite and there were… you guessed it… FREE REFILLS ON SODA! We also both enjoyed the complimentary popcorn. Unfortunately, as a twosome out alone, we missed out on the deal Rafters is most famous for: their pitcher specials.
Despite the fact that the place was extraordinarily busy, we didn’t feel cramped or rushed and our waitress un-​intrusively continued to check on us, refilling our drinks and making sure we had everything we needed. Eventually, my boyfriend ordered the Carolina Honey Mustard boneless wings which came with bleu cheese, celery, and carrots. He stated that the sauce was tasty and sweet but that there was not nearly enough of it (we’re spoiled by WINGS at the Hangar next door). He did comment that the bleu cheese was delicious.
As for entertainment, Rafters has umpteen T.V.‘s, all playing something different, Keno, lottery tickets, Wednesday trivia nights, Thursday karaōke nights, pool tables, a shooting basketball game, a jukebox (2 songs for a dollar), video games, free wi-​fi, and good AT&T cell service. There is also an ATM just inside the door, for your convenience.
In terms of seating, they offer booths, tables, and bar seating. Everything is wooden, but comfortable enough.
Let’s move on to the restrooms: I can really only vouch for the women’s restrooms, but there were two stalls, a sink, and a mirror in a very tiny room just off of the «eating» section. You have to hold the toilet handle down for a good five seconds to get it to flush, but it WILL flush. Also, do not be alarmed by the incessant beeping the bathrooms. It seems not to be indicative of anything. My boyfriend told me that, in the men’s room, there are two urinals and a stall. What I did not know was that Rafter’s has bathrooms hidden away in the room with all the pool tables (to the right as you walk in the door). One room each for men and women, these restrooms are slightly more bar-​like in décor and cleanliness, but decent nonetheless.
Overall, I found the experience to be loud and crowded, but pleasant and productive (I studied for an exam while my boyfriend watched the Red Sox game). It was low-​key, comfortable, and enjoyable. I’ll definitely go back again.

I watched Game 4 of the 2004 World Series here. Good game, I have been told :)
Beyond that, they’ve got good pub food for the Western Mass, and particulalry UMass, area.