Guitar Gear Forum

I'll be in Boston the first week of September. Any one from there and have some cool places to eat, drink, visit, etc.?

I have a loose itinerary already but looking to add more stuff if possible. Really want a list of good local beer to try as well.

Already checking off a bucket list item by seeing a Red Sox game at Fenway against my World Series Champs

Thanks in advance

I don't live in Boston, but I've been there 8 times.

Boston Beer Works has a location across from Fenway. Their beer is pretty good. Skip the room temperature beers though. In that area Cheeky Monkey and Landsdowne Pub are good too. (My wife lived a few blocks from Fenway when I met her)

The Sunset Grill in Boston has a pretty impressive selection.

Meadhall in Cambridge has a massive selection. Cambridge Common is pretty good too.

Bukowski Tavern in Back Bay has a good selection.

I recommend one dinner at Top of the Hub, pricey but worth it. Get the chowdah.

Have Fun.

Old Ironsides is pretty cool. You get to go down to the gun deck but, if you're over 4'5" tall, were a helmet!
I read an autobiography of a man who sailed on Old Ironsides.... so glad I didn't live back then!

ajaxlepinski wrote:Old Ironsides is pretty cool.

Yes, definitely walk the Freedom Trail.

^Came to post this.

It's literally a red brick / red painted line that runs through the city and stirs the memories of seventh grade history class with Ms Waters. Well, for me anyway. It's super cool, the harbor with old Ironsides, site of the Boston Tea party, Paul Revere's house, site of the Boston Massacre and a few other famous revolutionary battles, taverns where the seeds of revolution were sown.

Also, get dinner in the North End, great Italian neighborhood.

Oh, and happy birthday, dude!

If you’re doing the Sox game, hit up the Cask and Flagon before for the full experience. Definitely do the Freedom Trail, it’s a great walking city and that’s one of the best ways to see most of the essential sights and a lot of the history. If you’re into art the MFA has a pretty good collection as well as the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum, and Harvard’s art museums. Harvard’s natural history museum is good too as well as just wandering around Harvard Square.

Beer-wise Trillium is real good and right in the city, Cambridge Brewing Company is pretty solid right across the river, Nightshift is great, they’re in Everett, right outside the city. Also Jack’s Abbey makes some real good stuff but their brewery is a little ways outside the city (accessible by car) but available on tap in most bars or stores in cans. I’ll echo Ry on Meadhall as a good spot with a ton of taps.

What kind of food are you looking for? Oh and unfortunately there aren’t any good gear shops right in the city. Also not sure on your music taste (I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess you like “metal” although that covers a lot of ground) but it looks like Sumac and the Jesus Lizard are both going to be in town while you’re potentially in town which could be real sweet shows.

Ry Manchu wrote:I don't live in Boston, but I've been there 8 times.

Boston Beer Works has a location across from Fenway. Their beer is pretty good. Skip the room temperature beers though. In that area Cheeky Monkey and Landsdowne Pub are good too. (My wife lived a few blocks from Fenway when I met her)

The Sunset Grill in Boston has a pretty impressive selection.

Meadhall in Cambridge has a massive selection. Cambridge Common is pretty good too.

Bukowski Tavern in Back Bay has a good selection.

I recommend one dinner at Top of the Hub, pricey but worth it. Get the chowdah.

Thanks for the list. The plan is to grab a drink or 8 before the game so a spot near Fenway is perfect. Thanks for the list. I'll be with my girlfriend, mom, dad and sister so unfortunately I'll have to choose wisely since I'll have to convince them to stop, only my dad is a beer drinker and his choice is Bud Light

itchyfingers wrote:^Came to post this.

It's literally a red brick / red painted line that runs through the city and stirs the memories of seventh grade history class with Ms Waters. Well, for me anyway. It's super cool, the harbor with old Ironsides, site of the Boston Tea party, Paul Revere's house, site of the Boston Massacre and a few other famous revolutionary battles, taverns where the seeds of revolution were sown.

Also, get dinner in the North End, great Italian neighborhood.

Oh, and happy birthday, dude!

yeah the Freedom Trail is definitely on the list. I'm a bit of a history nerd so that was a must do no question. and thanks this is the big 3-0



Can anyone give me any info on the neighborhood/city of Chelsea? That is where we found a place to stay that wasn't $150 a night and heard some questionable things about the area. Is it someplace we should keep our head on a swivel?

I'm pretty sure Chelsea is just your typical dumpy heroin-filled suburb. There's plenty of rougher places around, but it's not exactly paradise either.

Sunset Grill closed a few months ago if I remember right, sadly. That place was the shit.

As for the touristy stuff, I think most of it's been covered. Get a roast beef sandwich somewhere. Kelly's in Revere (Which isn't too far from where you'll be IIRC) is the "big" name, but you can probably do better.

If you're still into the whole physical media thing for music and can break away from the family for a bit, you might want to check out the Armageddon Shop in Cambridge. Great metal and punk shop. Not much diversity in selection beyond that, but you'll find some shit you wouldn't expect to see outside of eBay.

Hey guys. Just wanted to say thanks again. The trip was over a month ago now but had a great time and the Astros won the game we went to.

Did do the entire freedom trail and Old Ironside was amazing to see. Did try out some local brews but only remember Harpoon and the brewery we stumbled upon Hopsters. That's me in the orange jersey in the back.

Right on man! Fenway and the Freedom Trail - ya done good!

Yeah man!!! Sounds like you had a great time!!!

How about that gun deck on Old Ironsides? They should distribute hard hats to anyone going below.

ajaxlepinski wrote:Yeah man!!! Sounds like you had a great time!!!

How about that gun deck on Old Ironsides? They should distribute hard hats to anyone going below.

We had a great time. Got to see a ton of history. Although I learned that the term southern hospitality is alive and well We were shocked at how cold and stand off-ish most people were. Something we definitely aren't used to here in Texas.

Yeah I was practically crouching the entire time I was below deck on the ship but luckily could stand up in a few spots to give my back a rest.

metalguy wrote:

ajaxlepinski wrote:Yeah man!!! Sounds like you had a great time!!!

How about that gun deck on Old Ironsides? They should distribute hard hats to anyone going below.

We had a great time. Got to see a ton of history. Although I learned that the term southern hospitality is alive and well We were shocked at how cold and stand off-ish most people were. Something we definitely aren't used to here in Texas.

Yeah I was practically crouching the entire time I was below deck on the ship but luckily could stand up in a few spots to give my back a rest.

I was in Boston a little over a week ago for a few days and I found this to be very common. I went to NYC with my roommate for his birthday. We stayed there for a few days and then a buddy of his drove us up to Boston (a very beautiful drive, BTW). I will say NYC was alot friendlier and very welcoming compared to Boston. Not to say people were jerks in Boston, just kinda stand-offish and uninterested. Houston is a hell of a lot friendlier, IMO.

The wife and I went to Boston last summer for 5 days and our experience was completely the opposite. We thought it was the friendliest city we've been to yet, not that we've been to very many. A bunch of times random strangers struck up conversations with us and several stopped on the sidewalk to ask if we needed directions or recommendations for things to do or places to eat. Also noticed that anytime an elderly, pregnant or injured person stepped onto the subway people would immediately offer up their seats. Of course that's a common courtesy but it seemed to be more a norm than I've noticed anywhere else.

mortatone wrote:The wife and I went to Boston last summer for 5 days and our experience was completely the opposite. We thought it was the friendliest city we've been to yet, not that we've been to very many. A bunch of times random strangers struck up conversations with us and several stopped on the sidewalk to ask if we needed directions or recommendations for things to do or places to eat. Also noticed that anytime an elderly, pregnant or injured person stepped onto the subway people would immediately offer up their seats. Of course that's a common courtesy but it seemed to be more a norm than I've noticed anywhere else.

My experience may have been because of the weather. It was rainy, chilly, and gloomy the whole time we were there. Plus it was early during the work week, so downtown was mainly people working. I'd still like to go back and explore a bit more than we did.

For guitar shops, Mr Music on Harvard Ave is kinda cool. It's a small place but i still enjoy stopping in there when i go to Boston. The selection of stuff varies but sometimes they have really cool stuff. Used to stop in their often as a kid on way home from school.

A random cool place to go to if never been in Boston is the Skywalk Observatory at Prudential Center.

BleedingWhiskey wrote:

mortatone wrote:The wife and I went to Boston last summer for 5 days and our experience was completely the opposite. We thought it was the friendliest city we've been to yet, not that we've been to very many. A bunch of times random strangers struck up conversations with us and several stopped on the sidewalk to ask if we needed directions or recommendations for things to do or places to eat. Also noticed that anytime an elderly, pregnant or injured person stepped onto the subway people would immediately offer up their seats. Of course that's a common courtesy but it seemed to be more a norm than I've noticed anywhere else.

My experience may have been because of the weather. It was rainy, chilly, and gloomy the whole time we were there. Plus it was early during the work week, so downtown was mainly people working. I'd still like to go back and explore a bit more than we did.

Our opposing experiences could be the result of any number of variables, including our own demeanor and perception. I'm sure you and others get that. I was just surprised given the stereotype of Bostonians, or maybe my low expectation played a role in my surprise. Who knows.

mortatone wrote:The wife and I went to Boston last summer for 5 days and our experience was completely the opposite. We thought it was the friendliest city we've been to yet, not that we've been to very many. A bunch of times random strangers struck up conversations with us and several stopped on the sidewalk to ask if we needed directions or recommendations for things to do or places to eat. Also noticed that anytime an elderly, pregnant or injured person stepped onto the subway people would immediately offer up their seats. Of course that's a common courtesy but it seemed to be more a norm than I've noticed anywhere else.

Don't get me wrong there were some friendly people but the majority of people would flat out ignore you if you gave any kind of salutation passing on the sidewalk. Two different times we offered our seats to someone and one girl was shocked I offered and the other, a friend of theirs said "Girl, you'd better take advantage of that".

Like I said, still some great people that added to my experience. Table next to us at a bar we were at bought our table a round of shots cause it was my birthday and the guys around us at Fenway were very friendly and gave some awesome funny trash talk lol.

overdrivenel34s wrote:For guitar shops, Mr Music on Harvard Ave is kinda cool. It's a small place but i still enjoy stopping in there when i go to Boston. The selection of stuff varies but sometimes they have really cool stuff. Used to stop in their often as a kid on way home from school.

A random cool place to go to if never been in Boston is the Skywalk Observatory at Prudential Center.

It's funny, with all the times I've played O'Brien's across the street, I've never actually been to Mr. Music.