Cocktail bar
Unclaimed profileTrina's Starlite Lounge
Somerville, MA · $$$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Trina's Starlite Lounge treats the tap as a delivery tool, not a beer-only boundary. One line holds a rotating $13 cocktail; another dispenses Amaro Montenegro as a $9 pour. That speed sits beside drinks with conspicuous prep: Rockin' Chair uses black-tea-infused bourbon, Raspberry Fizz starts with house-infused vodka, and Shaddock puts genever beside St-Germain and Aperol. Nearly every named cocktail costs $13, so the draft special competes on surprise rather than discount. The beer list has a different kind of theater. Five seven-ounce Miller High Life bottles arrive on ice for $12, turning an inexpensive lager into a shared bucket without pretending it is rare. Four taps cover lager, IPA and Czech-style pilsner; cans add local cider, a changing Jack's Abby release and a nonalcoholic Notch pils. Beer depth is useful rather than exhaustive, and the standalone spirits case is much thinner—the amaro draft is the only independently priced pour made public. Still, that single line matters because it extends the menu's preference for quick, slightly mischievous formats. Green Goblin, available only sometimes and at market price, supplies the counterpoint: the most cultish cocktail is also the least predictable.
- What should I order?
- Rockin' Chair is the clearest house-prep choice; Inmanhattan gives the list a direct rye-and-vermouth benchmark. Add the $9 Amaro Montenegro draft after food, or split the five-bottle High Life pony bucket when the table wants the venue's signature beer ritual.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Cocktail drinkers who like house infusions without luxury pricing, and groups that understand why five tiny High Lifes on ice can be more fun than one elaborate beer presentation.
- When should I go?
- Friday and Saturday keep both bar and kitchen running latest: food until midnight and drinks until 2am. Green Goblin is explicitly offered only when available, so it should not be the sole reason for a visit.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Most cocktails cost $13; Green Goblin is market price when available. Draft beer costs $8-$10, packaged beer and cider $5-$12, the High Life pony bucket $12, and draft Amaro Montenegro $9.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- A cocktail special and an Italian amaro both run through draft lines, while five miniature High Life bottles on ice turn the house's lowbrow lager preference into a communal format.
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
House infusions, sharply recognizable classic structures and a rotating on-tap special give a playful list real preparation and breadth at one dominant price.
Menu strengths
- — House-infused raspberry vodka and black-tea bourbon
- — Rotating cocktail special served on tap
- — Most recipes share a transparent $13 price
Standout selections
- — Rockin' Chair
- — Inmanhattan
- — Green Goblin when available
Pricing: Ten listed classics and the rotating tap cocktail cost $13; Green Goblin is market price when available
Beer
A concise lager-forward list mixes local craft and inexpensive standards, with miniature High Life bottle service as its defining move.
Menu strengths
- — Five-bottle Miller High Life pony bucket
- — Local and regional producers include Notch, Jack's Abby and Stormalong
- — Notch nonalcoholic pilsner expands the lager lane
Standout selections
- — Bucket of Miller High Life Ponies
- — Notch Session Pilsner draft
- — Jack's Abby seasonal can
Pricing: Drafts cost $8-$10; bottles and cans cost $5-$12; five High Life ponies on ice cost $12
Spirits
The independently documented spirits program is only one pour deep, but putting Amaro Montenegro on draft is concrete and unusually specific.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated draft service for a 23% ABV Italian amaro
Standout selections
- — Draft pour of Amaro Montenegro
Pricing: Amaro Montenegro draft costs $9; no broader standalone spirits pricing is published
How it sits with the food
Corn dogs, chili dogs, burgers, wings and fries suit the clean lager choices. Rockin' Chair can meet smoky or sweet flavors, Inmanhattan has enough bitterness for a burger, and Amaro Montenegro makes sense after the richer plates.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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