Cocktail bar
Unclaimed profileHighland Kitchen
Somerville, MA · $$$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Highland Kitchen prices every cocktail at $12, a flat line that makes complexity cost no more than familiarity. A House Margarita and Bee's Knees occupy one end; Dazed and Infused puts charred-pineapple-and-jalapeño-infused mezcal beside Amaro Meletti and apricot brandy at the other. De La Louisianne, 1794 and Mulberry Street give rye three different bitter or herbal frames, while Somerville Sunburn and Mai Tai Dragon keep a tropical lane open. The equality of price makes choosing by construction, not by upcharge, the sensible move. Beer behaves differently. Six taps cover basic functions, but the refrigerator supplies the eccentricity: Rothaus Pils, Reissdorf Kölsch, Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter, Belhaven Scottish Ale, Ommegang Hennepin and Ghostfish gluten-free IPA sit among familiar domestic cans. That package depth is the program's quiet advantage. Wine is designed as a low-risk accompaniment rather than a cellar project; all bottles land between $32 and $40, and glasses top out at $13. The narrow wine range limits discovery, yet Vina Real Rioja, Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc and Arnaud Lambert Crémant avoid anonymous house-pour territory. Across all three lists, transparent pricing is more impressive than luxury.
- What should I order?
- Choose Dazed and Infused when the infusion work matters, or De La Louisianne for the rye-and-Herbsaint side of the list. In beer, skip past the familiar cans to Rothaus Pils or Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter; Vina Real Rioja is the direct wine answer to jambalaya or steak tips.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Value-conscious cocktail drinkers, beer generalists who like scanning a long package list, and groups whose wine drinker does not want to subsidize the rest of the table.
- When should I go?
- Arrive before the kitchen closes at 10pm Sunday through Thursday or 10:30pm Friday and Saturday if drinks need food. The bar continues until 1am every night.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails are uniformly $12. Draft beer costs $5-$9, packaged beer and cider $5-$15, wine glasses $11-$13 and bottles $32-$40. Prices exclude tax and gratuity.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The program separates value from simplicity: an infused mezcal cocktail carries the same $12 price as a margarita, and no wine bottle crosses $40, while beer range expands through packages instead of expensive draft spectacle.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Classics, tropical builds and house infusions share a rare flat price, letting guests select for flavor and technique without navigating a premium tier.
Menu strengths
- — Uniform $12 price across the list
- — Three distinct rye-and-vermouth constructions
- — House infusion of charred pineapple and jalapeño into mezcal
Standout selections
- — Dazed and Infused
- — De La Louisianne
- — Somerville Sunburn
Pricing: All eleven current cocktails cost $12
Beer
A modest tap board is backed by a deep package list that moves confidently among European classics, American craft, inexpensive lager and nonalcoholic alternatives.
Menu strengths
- — More than twenty packaged beer choices
- — European styles include Kölsch, pilsner, porter, Scottish ale and farmhouse ale
- — Three nonalcoholic beer or hop-water options
Standout selections
- — Rothaus Pils
- — Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter
- — Oxbow Farmhouse Pale Ale on draft
Pricing: Six drafts cost $5-$9; packaged beer and cider cost $5-$15
Wine
Ten compact, producer-specific choices keep bottle commitments low and cover the major food-pairing jobs without pretending to be a deep cellar.
Menu strengths
- — Every bottle priced at $40 or below
- — Sparkling choices include Prosecco, rosé Cava and bottle-only Crémant
- — French, Italian and Spanish regions dominate a food-friendly range
Standout selections
- — 2019 Vina Real Crianza Rioja
- — 2022 Mâcon-Charnay by Maciat-Poncet
- — Arnaud Lambert Brézé Blanc Crémant de Loire
Pricing: Glasses cost $11-$13 and bottles cost $32-$40
How it sits with the food
Coconut-curried mussels invite saison, Albariño or a citrus-driven rum drink; jambalaya can use Rioja or a bitter rye cocktail; fried fish and Nashville-hot chicken make crisp lager, pilsner and hoppy beer especially practical.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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