Boston trip- suggestions?

[Hugo]

Mike's is overrated. For the tourists. Modern's is better anyway imo.

Tastiest canoli I've had is at Maria's though.

I used to go to Mike's whenever I was in the city until the lines got too long and I tried Modern Pastry because I heard really good things about it. Haven't been back to Mike's since.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Do you like craft beer? Check out the Trillium Outdoor Beer Garden on the Greenway (a park where I-93 used to be) on a nice day or evening. Trillium makes really good beer.

The Trillium Brewery is in the Seaport (369 Congress Street) if you want to buy some to take home. They don't have a taproom there (too small).

I guess you have to check out Faneuil Hall. It's a tourist trap but you should at least walk through it if you're in Boston.

Duck Boat tour is a fun and easy way to explore the city.

Take a tour of Fenway Park.

Check out the North End for dinner (Italian). I like Tresca but there are so many good ones. Go to Mike's Pastry after dinner in the North End.

I've been out of the bar scene for a while but the Black Rose near Faneuil Hall was always fun.

Some good suggestions here. I actually also really enjoy the USS Constitution. You can get there following the Freedom Trail, which is worth the walk, at least through the North End. I don't understand the fascination with Mike's, but some people love it.

Right next to Trillium is Row 34. Good seafood and great beer taps. Barking Crab is very fun in the summer. I also like the Temazcal Tequilla Cantina on the water next to Remy's Sports Bar in the Seaport area.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Murphy’s Law! L Street and East 1st Street!

Lived in Southie and never went there. Most of the Irish pubs have been ruined by the changeover in Southie inhabitants. The Baggott Inn was a great pub. Shenanigans was fun before it went upscale.

 

[HooperScooper]

Right next to Trillium is Row 34.

Oh yeah. Love that place.

 

[auror]

Have been in Boston for the last 13 years and I love to eat and drink so....

For craft beer bars, honestly there's a lot of good options now. Most higher end restaurants will have a decently curated small selection. The best beer + food (seafood) combo as @HuskyHawk mentioned is Row 34 in the Seaport, especially for sour beer (and convenient to picking up Trillium beer to go) and oysters. There are good clusters elsewhere such as in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge. You have Lord Hobo (bar not brewery), Cambridge Brewing Company, and Meadhall. Plus Smoke Shop for pretty good BBQ. If you find yourself more in Brookline or Allston area, you've got The Publick House, Lulu's (might have best selection in Boston), and Deep Ellum (RIP Sunset). For downtown, I'd lean towards The Gingerman, Stoddards, or the Tip Tap Room.

For food, if it's a special occasion or you're willing to splurge and you're adventurous eaters, my top 2 food "experiences" in Boston are The Table (by Top Chef contestant Carl Dooley) and Tasting Counter. These are both intimate, high concept, multi-course paired beverage food adventures being prepared in front of you.

For best food and still expensive but maybe one step down in experience from those two, I love Craigie on Main (farm to table meets classic french), Sarma (Mediterranean small plates), Oleana (Middle Eastern small plates, good for vegetarians), Alden & Harlow (farm to table small plates), and Bar Mezzana (Italian and crudo).

For something a bit more casual, Brewer's Fork has a nice combo of Pizza + Beer and is pretty close to the USS Constitution and end of the Freedom Trail. You could also do the aforementioned Lulu's, get some ramen at Yume Wo Katare (be aware of lines), or if you're near Kenmore try Sweet Cheeks BBQ, Eventide for a lobster roll, or Tasty Burger for a divey burger + smothered fries.

If you want to visit a brewery, Night Shift in Everett is the best vibe + beer combo, although a little bit out of the way with no car. The good news is that there is another brewery (Bone Up) and a distillery (Short Path) within walking distance once you get there. Someone mentioned the Trillium Beer Garden on the Greenway and that's a great choice on a nice day, especially if you like IPAs. Lamplighter is a pretty cool spot and their beers have gotten quite good.

If cocktails are more your thing, I'd recommend Yvonne’s downtown, Blossom Bar in Brookline, Waypoint (sister to Alden & Harlow, good food here, too), Back Bar in Somerville for a more hipster experience, or Drink in the Seaport.

 

[Waquoit]

Is No Name still good? Always liked that place for my broiled scrod needs. The first place where I ever ate cole slaw.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Is No Name still good? Always liked that place for my broiled scrod needs. The first place where I ever ate cole slaw.

Last I knew the answer was, sort of. It's what it was, but the competition in the area is much better than it used to be.

Southie is so different now. When I lived there, along the seaport it was Barking Crab, Anthony's and No Name, plus a place where Whiskey Priest is now, next to the WTC and Aura in the Seaport Hotel. That was it. Lucky's Lounge opened in Fort Point while I was there, but it was all by itself.

 

[auror]

Also, a few people mentioned the North End. I lived there for a couple years (before getting tired of living in a literal shoebox with windows that fell open during winter).

Everyone knows Giacamo's (line, cash only), which is perfectly tasty, but probably doesn't make much sense to wait in line when there are 30 other restaurants around. That's kinda the deal with the North End. There are a few actually great staples, but there's so much very good around that I'm hesitant to wait. Galleria Umberto qualifies as well. Super old school Sicillian-style cash only cheap but wait in line lunchtime-only pizza place, perfectly tasty but probably not worth the wait (except for Arancini maybe). Neptune Oyster, specifically the lobster roll and rotating daily special is great, but the wait is not (although I think now at least they call/text you when your table is ready). The original Pizzeria Regina is, yes, pretty good.

My favorite place was actually Taranta, which is a Peruvian + Italian combo. I thought Panza was a step above others, as well. Squid ink pasta at Daily Catch is great.

As for cannoli, it's not my favorite dessert. But I don't see much difference between Mike's, Modern, Maria's or Bova.

PS North Street Grille has a great brunch.

 

[auror]

I crowd-sourced some of my friends for dive bars because that's not my specialty.

Go to the Tam. Best dive bar

Murphy’s Law! L Street and East 1st Street!

Another good dive bar closer to the Seaport is Biddy Early's. Check it out

All three of these came up. JJ Foleys was mentioned by a couple people,

Whitey's Pub in Southie came up as well, but was warned "A bit scary" and "Not to enter as white female".

L Street Pub was contrasted as "a little less likely to give you hepatitis then whitey's and will keep serving past when Boston says they are allowed to if you are there when they close".

 

[Robertelamin]

Lived in Southie and never went there. Most of the Irish pubs have been ruined by the changeover in Southie inhabitants. The Baggott Inn was a great pub. Shenanigans was fun before it went upscale.

Me neither and I lived about 2 blocks away. It was getting pretty yuppified by the time I was there.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I crowd-sourced some of my friends for dive bars because that's not my specialty.


All three of these came up. JJ Foleys was mentioned by a couple people,

Whitey's Pub in Southie came up as well, but was warned "A bit scary" and "Not to enter as white female".

L Street Pub was contrasted as "a little less likely to give you hepatitis then whitey's and will keep serving past when Boston says they are allowed to if you are there when they close".

Unless OP is actually staying in Southie (and not the Seaport district) I don't know why they would go near any of the primary South Boston pubs/bars. Mostly locals bars.

I hope he's staying in Back Bay, or near downtown or Kenmore Square. That means that JJ Foley's is the best of those choices. Used to go there fairly often. There were bars in Southie I avoided when I lived there. The old IRA bars are mostly shut down now.

Boston isn't lacking in bars/pubs .

 

[Robertelamin]

Last I knew the answer was, sort of. It's what it was, but the competition in the area is much better than it used to be.

Southie is so different now. When I lived there, along the seaport it was Barking Crab, Anthony's and No Name, plus a place where Whiskey Priest is now, next to the WTC and Aura in the Seaport Hotel. That was it. Lucky's Lounge opened in Fort Point while I was there, but it was all by itself.

Whiskey Priest was The Seaport where one went hunting for Sea Cougars.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Whiskey Priest was The Seaport where one went hunting for Sea Cougars.

Yes, and for my wedding as well. It was our after party location (wedding reception at the WTC). Not a bad spot really. Nice roof deck.

 

[intlzncster]

Have been in Boston for the last 13 years and I love to eat and drink so....

For craft beer bars, honestly there's a lot of good options now. Most higher end restaurants will have a decently curated small selection. The best beer + food (seafood) combo as @HuskyHawk mentioned is Row 34 in the Seaport, especially for sour beer (and convenient to picking up Trillium beer to go) and oysters. There are good clusters elsewhere such as in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge. You have Lord Hobo (bar not brewery), Cambridge Brewing Company, and Meadhall. Plus Smoke Shop for pretty good BBQ. If you find yourself more in Brookline or Allston area, you've got The Publick House, Lulu's (might have best selection in Boston), and Deep Ellum (RIP Sunset). For downtown, I'd lean towards The Gingerman, Stoddards, or the Tip Tap Room.

For food, if it's a special occasion or you're willing to splurge and you're adventurous eaters, my top 2 food "experiences" in Boston are The Table (by Top Chef contestant Carl Dooley) and Tasting Counter. These are both intimate, high concept, multi-course paired beverage food adventures being prepared in front of you.

For best food and still expensive but maybe one step down in experience from those two, I love Craigie on Main (farm to table meets classic french), Sarma (Mediterranean small plates), Oleana (Middle Eastern small plates, good for vegetarians), Alden & Harlow (farm to table small plates), and Bar Mezzana (Italian and crudo).

For something a bit more casual, Brewer's Fork has a nice combo of Pizza + Beer and is pretty close to the USS Constitution and end of the Freedom Trail. You could also do the aforementioned Lulu's, get some ramen at Yume Wo Katare (be aware of lines), or if you're near Kenmore try Sweet Cheeks BBQ, Eventide for a lobster roll, or Tasty Burger for a divey burger + smothered fries.

If you want to visit a brewery, Night Shift in Everett is the best vibe + beer combo, although a little bit out of the way with no car. The good news is that there is another brewery (Bone Up) and a distillery (Short Path) within walking distance once you get there. Someone mentioned the Trillium Beer Garden on the Greenway and that's a great choice on a nice day, especially if you like IPAs. Lamplighter is a pretty cool spot and their beers have gotten quite good.

If cocktails are more your thing, I'd recommend Yvonne’s downtown, Blossom Bar in Brookline, Waypoint (sister to Alden & Harlow, good food here, too), Back Bar in Somerville for a more hipster experience, or Drink in the Seaport.

One note: if you like burgers, the ones at Craigie on Main are phenomenal. The catch is that they only buy enough meat to make 19 burgers daily; they aren't even on the menu. If you want one, you have to get there an hour early and lineup. They open at 5.30pm, so you've gotta lineup at 4.30 or so depending on the weather. Count the people to see if you'll make the cut.

I'll also add that Lolita's is a good tequila cocktail bar in Back Bay, with a cool dark underground vibe. There's also a more hopping version in the Seaport now.

 

[auror]

One note: if you like burgers, the ones at Craigie's on Main are phenomenal. The catch is that they only buy enough meat to make 19 burgers daily; they aren't even on the menu. If you want one, you have to get there an hour early and lineup. They open at 5.30pm, so you've gotta lineup at 4.30 or so depending on the weather. Count the people to see if you'll make the cut.

I've never bothered with the Burger at Craigie for that reason, the rest of their stuff is so good anyways, even if I do believe it probably is one of the best burgers in the country. Alden & Harlow also has a "secret" burger. I'd rather just go to Tasty Burger or JM Curley's to get something 95% as good with 0 pretension (except the normal hipster pretension at JM). Can get a sack of burgers at Tasty in fact.

 

[intlzncster]

I've never bothered with the Burger at Craigie for that reason, the rest of their stuff is so good anyways, even if I do believe it probably is one of the best burgers in the country. Alden & Harlow also has a "secret" burger. I'd rather just go to Tasty Burger or JM Curley's to get something 95% as good with 0 pretension (except the normal hipster pretension at JM). Can get a sack of burgers at Tasty in fact.

It's really, really good though. To date, the best burger I've had, though maybe that's a quasi-placebo effect.

 

[Robertelamin]

Yes, and for my wedding as well. It was our after party location (wedding reception at the WTC). Not a bad spot really. Nice roof deck.

It’s a great spot. Right on the water. When the Seaport sold it they probably made a killing.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It’s a great spot. Right on the water. When the Seaport sold it they probably made a killing.

Location is great. Seaport never did much with it though. It was just a notch above dive bar status. I don't blame them, as there were no people down there then. When we were there in the early 2000's we'd get growlers filled at Harpoon on Saturday morning and the whole boulevard was a ghost town. There wouldn't be a soul there.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Yeah it's not that great. It's only the best dive bar in Boston!

Another good dive bar closer to the Seaport is Biddy Early's. Check it out

I've worked in the area for 10+ years and never been in there. Buddy & I are getting a beer at the Trillium Beer Garden this week, but last time we did that commented that in old days we woulda bought a case of Bud for same price as 2 beers and sat on nearby grass. So a dive bar might come in handy after a round. Make the case for Biddy Early's.

 

[Penfield]

I've worked in the area for 10+ years and never been in there. Buddy & I are getting a beer at the Trillium Beer Garden this week, but last time we did that commented that in old days we woulda bought a case of Bud for same price as 2 beers and sat on nearby grass. So a dive bar might come in handy after a round. Make the case for Biddy Early's.

Biddy's has been my after work go to for the last 8 years or so. Used to go to JJ Foley's but then we discovered this place and never looked back.
It's owned and operated by a couple guys in their early 30's. They are all super nice.
Patrons are a mix of regulars, construction workers, and the Financial District Happy Hour crowd.
You can get a bucket of Buds for ~$15. All the prices are reasonable.
They have Darts, Golden tee, and a jukebox.
It's dark and it smells like stale beer (both pluses in my opinion).
I've eaten food there a handful of times and I did not die.
It can get a bit packed on Thursdays and Fridays from 5-7, but that's really my only complaint about the place.
It's a dive

BTW I've tried to go to the Trillium garden 3 times now and all 3 times it was at capacity. We ended up going to Biddy's instead.

 

[Penfield]

Yes, and for my wedding as well. It was our after party location (wedding reception at the WTC). Not a bad spot really. Nice roof deck.

Someone jumped off the roof deck when the Bruins won the stanley cup and they had to put up these glass barriers. LOL

 

[tzznandrew]

Biddy's has been my after work go to for the last 8 years or so. Used to go to JJ Foley's but then we discovered this place and never looked back.
It's owned and operated by a couple guys in their early 30's. They are all super nice.
Patrons are a mix of regulars, construction workers, and the Financial District Happy Hour crowd.
You can get a bucket of Buds for ~$15. All the prices are reasonable.
They have Darts, Golden tee, and a jukebox.
It's dark and it smells like stale beer (both pluses in my opinion).
I've eaten food there a handful of times and I did not die.
It can get a bit packed on Thursdays and Fridays from 5-7, but that's really my only complaint about the place.
It's a dive

BTW I've tried to go to the Trillium garden 3 times now and all 3 times it was at capacity. We ended up going to Biddy's instead.

I was able to make it to the one is Rozzie. Awesome. Too bad it's gone.

The beer garden in city hall is definitely good.

I've ended at the Tam so many times. Great terrible bar.

Also, I've been in the city for 10 years and never saw a fight at a bar. Never even saw it get close.

 

[Robertelamin]

I was able to make it to the one is Rozzie. Awesome. Too bad it's gone.

The beer garden in city hall is definitely good.

I've ended at the Tam so many times. Great terrible bar.

Also, I've been in the city for 10 years and never saw a fight at a bar. Never even saw it get close.

I only saw one and it was at the Playwright in Southie. Dude got knocked out cold. The funniest part was there were 2 off duty cops there that went running after the guy who delivered the punch. I don’t know what he was on but he took his sneakers off and just sprinted down East Broadway. That was the last time I ever went there.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Stay at Verb hotel if its not already booked. My wife and I stayed there for a Sox game last summer and it literally backs up to Fenway. Ask for the 1 room that has a door to enter the pool area in the courtyard. We stayed in that room (I forget the #, otherwise I would tell you here).

 

[HuskyHawk]

I only saw one and it was at the Playwright in Southie. Dude got knocked out cold. The funniest part was there were 2 off duty cops there that went running after the guy who delivered the punch. I don’t know what he was on but he took his sneakers off and just sprinted down East Broadway. That was the last time I ever went there.

Surprising location. That was one of the first "upscale" bar/restaurants when I lived there. Then again, some of the potentially rougher places were places nobody would be stupid enough to start a fight. I mean, I never once entered Triple O's, even though Whitey was on the lam.

I went to the Blackthorn a couple of times. Favored by Irish natives (legal and illegal). Certainly a place where saying the wrong thing might not have gone over well (not that I'd have that problem). All in all it was a very friendly neighborhood once you were accepted. They looked after their own.