Boston Restaurant Tips by travelfrosch

Restaurant Name: The Boston Beer Garden

There are few better places in Boston for excellent food and great beer in a casual setting. The Beer Garden, as it's known locally, isn't a beer garden in the traditional sense, but nevertheless a wonderful experience. You can sit at the bar, around tables at the front (this area is open to the street in good weather), or at booths in the back. Food is also available for take-away. One warning: come hungry. The food portions are enormous.

Favorite Dish: I enjoy the Buffalo Chicken pizza, made with pita bread and spicy Buffalo sauce. Also especially tasty are the Lobster Ravioli, French Dip Roast Beef sandwich, and the Creole Jumbalaya.

There is a tremendous variety of fresh beer on tap, including Samuel Adams lager, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Harpoon IPA and hefeweizen, Bass, and Guinness. If you're not in the mood for alcohol, you might want to try the locally-brewed Harpoon root beer.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +1 617 269 0990
Address: 732 East Broadway, South Boston MA 02127
Directions: Red Line to Broadway, then Bus #9 (direction: City Point) to L Street.
Website: http://www.bostonbeergarden.com/

Restaurant Name: Black Rose

Some say the Black Rose, perhaps the most famous Irish pub in Boston, isn't quite what it used to be in its heyday (they even whisper of its takeover by a conglomerate run by - gasp - an Englishman!). But it still features excellent food, fine music, and, of course, Guinness. With the slick new entrance to the Aquarium Blue Line station just a block away, the pub is an excellent place to have a final meal and/or pint in Boston before heading to Logan Airport, just two stops away.

For those looking for nightlife, the Black Rose offers live Irish music nightly. Friday and Saturday evenings, there you get two choices for entertainment: traditional Irish music downstairs, and more contemporary music upstairs (cover charge $5 on Friday and Saturday nights. TIP: To avoid the cover charge, arrive before 9PM). Quality of the musicians is excellent; some musicians who played here later joined such Irish groups as the Chieftains. Oh, and there was also one lad who later became a member of some garage band called U2.

Favorite Dish: The extensive menu ranges from traditional Irish dishes to American and New England fare. The steamed lobster is featured and is excellent, as are the steak tips, ribs, mussels, and salmon cakes. The beer-battered onion rings can be substituted for french fries with many dishes -- give them a try!

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (617) 742-2286
Address: 160 State Street, Boston MA 02109
Directions: Blue Line to Aquarium. Use the "Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market" exit. Turn right out of the station on State Street. Restaurant will be 1 block in front of you.
Website: http://www.irishconnection.com/index.php?id=41

Restaurant Name: Gennaro's Eatery

While the most famous Italian food is in the North End, there are a number of other places in various neighborhoods around the city. This example is in Quincy, a city just south of Boston, accessible by public transportation via the Red Line's Braintree branch. At this establishment, you'll find no fancy "Ristorante" signs, no pretentious waiters speaking in sotto voce, and no Italian music. What you will find is a no-nonsense restaurant filled with hungry and appreciative locals, eating fresh, well prepared, Italian-style American food at reasonable prices. UPDATE: Unfortunately, Saturday night keyboard music has been cancelled as a result of a threatened lawsuit by BMI Records over "intellectual property." Translation: some faceless mega-corporation wants to steal pennies out of the pockets of a senior citizen trying to make ends meet. Way to go, BMI... and may the Bird of Paradise fertilize your coffee cup.

Be aware that Gennaro's does not take reservations, so be prepared to wait 30-45 minutes during peak times on Friday and Saturday evening.

Favorite Dish: Pizza and pasta are the specialties, though there are also very well-prepared meat and fish dishes. I had the Linguine Aglio e Olio, homemade pasta with olive oil, garlic, and anchovies. Great reviews for the tortellini carbonara, chicken parmigiana, and veal saltimbocca as well. Be warned that portions are enormous (asking for your left-overs to be wrapped up to take with you is acceptable -- almost expected).

If you have any room for dessert, fresh pastries, cakes, and Tiramisu await you. We were all stuffed, but we still gave in and split a Tiramisu portion 4 ways. Hello, Jenny Craig?

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +1 617-773-1500
Address: 12 Blanchard Rd, Quincy MA 02169
Directions: (a) From Boston, take Route 3A south, then continue straight as the road becomes Route 53. Turn right on Quincy Avenue (at the Wal-Mart). Restaurant will be on your left.
(b) Red Line (direction Braintree) to Quincy Center, then Bus 225 to Blanchard Road.