Xochi Z. wrote: > Looking for Irish "pubs" in Boston. Probably no such animal, but are there > any that even roughly approximate the atmosphere of a real Irish pub? Spent > two months in Galway and fell in love with the pubs there --- I *snip* I've heard good things about the Druid in Inman Square. Never been there myself, but it might be a good starting point. Mike
Boston, MA
Irish "pubs" in Boston? Anything like the ones in Galway?
I've been to many pubs in Galway and have yet to find any in Boston that are of the fancy, Victorian style of many in Galway. Nor have I found any with a warm glowing turf fire in the fireplace. However, may I humbly suggest these: The Irish Embassy Pub (North Station area--near The Kells). Cozy--rather small, narrow, and dark. Very nice clientele. Extremely friendly staff. Outstanding live bands. Paddy Burke's (North Station area--near Commonwealth Brewing Co.). Daytimes it's kinda quiet and cozy. Nighttimes it's louder and fun. Very nice crowd. The Black Rose (near Quincy Market/Fanieul Hall). Big. Loud. Raucous. Traditional Irish musicians sometimes, Irish folksingers most times.
I wouldn't call it an authentic Irish pub but a fun place for beer and cheap eats is Jose McIntyres. It's a bar, just a bar, with irish and mexican food. It's over by government center. You can have a couple beers and junk food for dinner in a loud bar atmosphere for not more than like $10.
Someone wrote: : I've heard good things about the Druid in Inman Square. Never been there : myself, but it might be a good starting point. : Mike I like the place, though I haven't tried their food yet. The crowd is a mix of college students, locals, and Irish immgrants of both persuasions (though the rumor is the immigrants are illegals.) The atmosphere is good, and they have good music many nights.
Someone wrote: : Bingo! Give that man a cigar. The Druid is very Irish. They have good : traditional music on Friday and Saturday nights. It is small, and they : allow smoking, so by 10:00, the place is filled with smoke (and people. : It was standing room only, _packed on my last visit). : Their music session is quite good, too. It seems like just what you want. : If you want the opposite extreme, pay a visit to "Finnegan's Wake" in : Porter Square. The _worst of pseudo-Irish posturing. Go once just to see : how bad it is (although the beer is cheap, so it isn't a _total loss if : you stop by). God, Finnegan's Wake is bad. The food is marginal at best! And to think it got a great review in the local papers! I went exactly ONCE--I paid too much money for bad food.
BTW: There is a new place in Central Square called the Phoenix. Don't bother to set foot in there. The only thing halfway "Celtic" about the place is the pretty sign on the window.
there are by unofficial count 2,765,112 irish pubs in the greater boston area. roughly 75 pct of these have music, of which roughly 25 pct is anything close to traditional. crummy percentage but it still leaves a big number. try the greenbrier in brighton on a monday night, brendan behan's in jamaica plain on a tuesday, malachy's in quincy on a wednesday for starters. all 100 pct traditional. any resemblance to galway pubs is purely coincidental but boston's got to have the biggest galway population of any place outside the county itself (some boston pubs are still irish speaking - guaranteed not too many of them left even in ireland!) good luck! zouki