Editorial
The best bars in Boston are not in Faneuil Hall. That needs to be stated clearly and early, because too many visitors lose an evening to tourist infrastructure when the real drinking is happening in Fort Point, the South End, Union Square in Somerville, and Kenmore. Boston's bar scene is better than its reputation suggests — a reputation built largely by people who drank in the wrong places and drew the wrong conclusions. Here's the corrective.
Boston's craft cocktail scene is anchored by a handful of rooms that have been setting the regional standard for over a decade. The city's bar culture moves slower than New York's — which means fewer trend-chasing openings, but also more longevity from the places that open with genuine intention.
Boston is one of the great sports bar cities in America — a combination of passionate fandom, a dense bar geography, and decades of practice watching teams that alternately break and repair hearts. These are the sports bars that do the format properly, with good drinks and screens in the right places.
Boston's craft beer scene has grown into one of the most interesting in New England, with a cluster of neighbourhood taprooms and beer-forward bars that reward exploration. The South End and Somerville are the most productive areas for this kind of drinking.
Boston rewards the visitor who is willing to cross the river to Somerville or take the T to Fort Point. The city's instinct is to keep good things slightly hidden — which means that what you find when you look properly is genuinely excellent. Start with Drink because you should always start with the best. End at Wally's because it is irreplaceable. Everything in between is yours to discover.
James has been visiting Boston's bar scene regularly since 2016. He considers Drink one of the ten best bars in America and has made the case in print on at least three occasions.
Five editor-curated guides, each ten bars, each tuned to a specific moment. The Boston bars our editors send first dates to, and the ones we send proposals to, and everything between.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 by the barsforKings editorial team