Coming to Boston

[chaskell27]

Hey guys,
My fiance and I are coming down to Boston for a few days in the beginning of may for a Sox game. I was just trying to get some inside info for some other places to go before and after the game. Good bars, restaurants, touristy stuff, museums, all ideas are welcome. We've been there before several times but I still feel like I haven't REALLY seen Boston the way I want to. Thanks :thumbup:

 

[cap'n]

I've been here for 3 years now so I can help a little. What are you interested in? A few quick thoughts on what you listed - Click the names for location maps.

Good Bars If you're going to be staying in Boston proper somewheres, I have a few favorites but as a married man with a 7 month old, I don't get out much anymore.

Bukowski: This a great little dive bar with TONS of good beer, and I mean about 100 in bottles and 30 or 40 on tap. The music is loud, the bartenders are nice, the server girls are cute and tattoo'd, and there are very few douchebags / massholes there... the music drives them away. It gets crowded early but the beer selection and the lack of meatheads makes it worth it, to me.

Black Rose: If you want the authentic boston irish bar experience, this is a good way to go. 'Nuff said. Also I LOVE JJ Foley's in the south end, but just because of living near it, probably. You wouldn't be all that impressed.



Restaurants Do yourself a favor and make it down to the South End. I'm only a little biased by having lived there - it really is where most of the good, local, fresh, killer places to eat are these days.

Gaslight: This is our favorite place right now, it's a killer french sorta brasserie place. It's just below sidewalk level with lots of windows, the decor is perfect early-1900's white subway tile kinda stuff, the food is very very very good, the service is top-notch, it's not too cheap but it's also not like super pricey. Like, less than $20 a plate for most things. Trust me, it's worth it. We've always had a great dining experience there. They get it right.

Meyers & Chang: Great fresh asian food, not awfully expensive, neat decor and easy location to find, right off a silver line (bus) stop. The pork dumplings are killer. Also try the Pork Slap beer if you've never had it.



Touristy stuff / Museums The Museum of Fine Arts is big and amazing if you're into that. Walking the Freedom Trail can be fun if you're into history. I always take guests walking around in Little Italy - it's small, you can only get so lost, and it's chocked full of good food and groceries. Paul Revere's House is there too and it's a really interesting thing to walk through, I do recommend that for sure. If you're up for a quick subway ride north, Harvard Square is a lot of fun to walk through. You can shop, walk the college grounds, and go to the surprisingly kickass Natural History Museum there too... dinosaurs and whale skeletons and so forth, kids dig it too. And if you're into walking, and the weather is nice, you can walk along the Charles River on either side along the Esplanade. It's a paved walking / biking path that's right on the water, and goes for a few miles. Great place to take a picnic lunch.



Like I said, if you tell me more about what you're into, or what you've already seen, I can probably help some more. Either way, WELCOME.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Hanover St. Piccola Venezia is my personal favorite. and then cross the street and walk east for a bit to Mike's Pastry. Incredible pastries!!!

What cap'n said about the places to see.

Are you from Brewer originally? I'm an Old Town native. Transplanted to NH 12 years ago.

 

[cap'n]

Mike's Pastry is an institution. If you're in Little Italy it's a must-see. Bring your insulin.

 

[BH322893]

Hanover St. Piccola Venezia is my personal favorite. and then cross the street and walk east for a bit to Mike's Pastry. Incredible pastries!!!

IMO Mike's Pastry isn't worth the time or the money, I've worked for the family and it's a tourist trap. I prefer Maria's Pastry. JJ Foleys is a good bar but not close to Fenway. Which game are you going to?? I have tickets for the Yankees game on the 8th

 

[tuningfork]

Boston Beerworks before the game but get there early (1.5hrs before first pitch) or you will be standing in line, I recommend the shark tips and the Hefe or Koelsch beers A tip: if all the bars are jammed into the street and you are starving/thirsty, you can usually get a table without much/any wait over at Jillians bowling alley (Lucky Strike Lanes?) up on the 3rd floor. Nice facility with plenty of big screens and ok food if you stick to the basics like pub burgers and such. But you lose out on the "street scene"...no biggie though there will be plenty of entertainment inside the stadium Actually the new pavilions inside are pretty good for pre-game as well, but they are crowded and the beers are $8+.

JFK museum is a good rainy-day destination if you are into history from that period, plus there is a rotating exhibit that is usually pretty informative. TOP of the HUB is a neat/cheap thing to do if the weather is clear. Harbor Islands can be fun to check out if the weather is good, if you want to do a boat ride + some hiking about. I suppose if you are from Maine you get to do lots of that though. I like Cambridge as well lots of good restaurants with a bit less hassle than the downtown ones. Ryles Jazz Club (killer brunch on Sundays), East Coast grill, Blue Room, The Druid (For Guinness lovers) etc. etc. Cambridge Brewing Company has some nice brews and good food too. Sunset Grille Also (in Allston though).

 

[cap'n]

+1 to the Kennedy museum. Beautiful building, good exhibits. Also Cambridge Brewing Co.

 

[chaskell27]

Ya we're heading down on Tues. May 11 probably be down there sometime around noon or so. The game is a 7:00 against the Jays. We're staying at the Marriot in Brookline so we're right on the Green line. We'll probably hang out most of the following day. I've done the Beerworks many times. Very good food and becoming a bit of a tradition. Can be a bit difficult to get into sometimes though. We took the duck boat tour last year (I know it was super touristy of us :spank but I kept wanting to get out and look around at places. Too much to see. The natural History Museum sounds really cool and the fiance does want to go walk through the university. I'm kinda tired of the touristy stuff by now so I thought I'd get an idea of where locals go. We'll definately check out some of those restaurants.

and FZ1inNH, I'm actually from Orrington (right next to brewer) but am now living and working in Brewer. I just finished school up at the university. Small world. How do you like NH? It's one of the areas that my fiance would possibly like to move to someday.

Anyway, thanks for the inside info guys. I'm sure we'll have a great time and If you think of anything else let me know.

 

[shaggystyle]

I just got back form Boston a few weeks ago. I didn't have a lot of free time but I somewhat remember having an awfully good time at the Sam Adams brewery. Depending on where you are staying it's a bit of trip to get there and I probably wouldn't go walking around that neighborhood at night.....but if you're into beer I'd say it's an afternoon well spent.

 

[sxty8goats]

Cask n Flagon accross from the Beerworks / Fenway. If you are going to a game, grab a beer there and head to the Beer Works after the game.