Joshua Tree

Allston / Brighton, Boston –

A wayward bro walking the streets in hipster-heavy Allston can rejoice thanks to the sports and pitcher-pounding paradise that is Joshua Tree.

When the game’s on, college kids covered in athletic gear down pints and keep their eyes fixed on the flat-screens running above the island bar, while larger groups venture over to long leather banquettes or into the dining area, where additional TVs and projector screens dot the white tiled walls.

The Southwestern-inspired menu keeps the armchair quarterbacks satisfied when the nearly two dozen taps can’t, though anyone not in the mood for Grande Burritos or half-pound classic burgers will also find less gut-busting fare like goat cheese salads and veggie wraps.

The pair of pop-a-shot games down past the fireplace get solid use during the week, while chill groups of friends drop in for regular quiz nights on Wednesdays. Things heat up Thursdays through Saturdays, however, when heavily gelled frat boys and sorority sisters in glittery dresses crash the downstairs dance floor and DJs spin Top 40 hits till closing.

The same crowd shuffles in Sunday mornings to assuage aching heads with an all-you-can-eat buffet brunch, and stays until the afternoon’s televised game starts the cycle all over again.

Appealing to all the different moods of a sports fanatic, Joshua Tree is a fun, habit-forming hangout.