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5 of Boston’s Best Pubs and Bars

Bar Reviews, Restaurant Reviews — By on September 16, 2010 at 3:00 pm

Home to several universities (and a huge Irish population), it’s not surprising that Boston has a wealth of bars and pubs to choose from. If you’re looking for a quick bite and some beer (or wine), you won’t have any trouble finding a spot to booze in this city. Check out these five LG-Boston bar favorites. Cheers!

1. Whiskey’s Steakhouse: Come 5pm, you’ll find that Whiskey’s is a hot spot for the young professionals working in Boston’s high rises to unwind.  Chill out with a few beers and some 15 cent wings at the bar, or hang out at the high-top tables, or in one of the big wooden booths looking out onto Boylston street in this country-western style pub.  Though the wings would have to be my first choice off the menu, all the appetizers are half off between 4-7 pm Monday-Friday (only available at the bar), and the artichoke dip and potato skins are the perfect compliments to a cold pint of Sam Adams.   Trivia nuts that we are, my friends and I prefer to hang out at Whiskey’s on Tuesday nights so that we can at least enjoy some good food while we lose…

2. Ned Devines: If you’re looking for a place where you can get some grub and then dance up a storm, Ned Devines is the perfect stop.  Sit outside and people-watch on a nice evening or head upstairs to the cool, Celtic castle-like restaurant/bar while you wait for Boston’s night-life to start.  The line is longest at about 10 or 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights when the live bands play, so it’s a good idea get here early (about 730pm) to beat the crowd and the cover charge, and see if you can get a table and order some appetizers.  The nachos with chicken and the hummus platter are delicious choices.  After some sustenance and a few glasses of wine you’ll be ready to break it down on the dance floor or mingle at the bar out back.

3. Union Oyster House: Though Boston is known for its clam chowder, I must admit that it never really appealed to me- I was always kind of turned off by its…well, clamminess.  So it wasn’t until very recently that I decided to face my fear and just try it so that I could call myself a true Bostonian.  Having heard that Boston’s oldest restaurant, the Union Oyster House, serves the best bowl in town we headed over there figuring that since they’ve been open since 1826 they had ample time to perfect their recipe.  And they did.  Mixing in a few oyster crackers and some black pepper, I realized that I had become hooked, and I have the Union Oyster House to thank for that.   Though the place doesn’t quite turn into the rocking bar that Ned Devines becomes at 10pm, the warm, quaint atmosphere makes it a cozy little place to hang out or watch a game with a beer off the tap.

4. Boston Beer Works: Home to some of the rowdiest and most devoted baseball fans, you can’t come to Boston during baseball season without going to a Red Sox game (or at least a bar next to the park). But, if you can’t score tickets, you can always head over to the Boston Beer Works bar right near Fenway to enjoy the excitement.   Making over 50 different lagers, ales, pilsners, and stouts, Boston Beer Works changes the beers on tap weekly so you’ll never get bored!  The “bluebeery” ale is always a hit, but I like to show my support for the Sox with the Boston Red.   If you just can’t decide, you can always order the sampler with four beers of your choice.  Of course, no one should drink on an empty stomach so order some jalapeno poppers and sour cream and chive fries to snack on.

5. Restaurant Marliave:  I first came to hear of Marliave when a friend of mine suggested I go there after I expressed a ridiculously strong craving for mussels.  Served in white wine and garlic sauce with whole tomatoes and bread for dipping, this dish is to die to for.  But the mussels aren’t the only reason I keep faithfully returning.  Hidden away in the corner of a deserted looking street near Park Street Station, Marliave exudes a warmth and coziness that draws you in on a cool Fall evening.  With its friendly staff  and it’s quirky Parisian-like black and white decor, the bar at this place is the perfect spot to sit for dinner and then relax for a while with a glass of wine or cool sounding cocktail (like the “Boston Tea Party” or “Yellow Journalism”).   If you’re feeling a little fancy, they even have a cheese menu so you can dine in true French fashion.

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