10 kids (age:13) w/parent(s) to watch yanks/sox

[drothman66]

need a spot (which takes reservations) on a friday night in june to grab dinner and watch yanks v. sox for about 30 people. we're all from ny (coming up for a hoop tourney). we can spread out; separate tables is fine.

doesn't need to a sports bar per se, but needs a bunch of plasmas and decent enough food (burgers are fine, italian probably better). someone recommended the sportsdepot, but i was looking for something a cut above that food-wise. someone else recommended '99', but would rather stay away from a chain.

we're staying in Waltham, but we'd like to eat in boston proper so that we can do a little walking around the city before & after. i'd guess anywhere in the back bay or around quincy market would be best.

any ideas? thanks

[chowciao]

Okay this may sound off the wall, but you may want to check out the original cheers on Beacon St. Or the Sport's Grill over by the Garden on Canal St. There are several sports bars/restaurants in that area that may not be quite as crowded as Fenway or Quincy Market.

[MeffaBabe]

Good Times in Somerville-food-games-videos-batting cage-wide screen tvs

[hiddenboston]

I like Good Times (used to play blackjack there all the time before the State House found out about it--darn), but I would not go there for dinner. The food is pretty bad, IMO.

[hotoynoodle]

i went there once with a nephew and the place was filthy. yuk.

[GrillNextDoor]

I'd say Cambridge Common, though not right in Boston. It's got decent food, enough room for 30 people (with advanced warning) and tvs at the bar. It's not too far from Harvard Square, which is a good place to take a bunch of 13 year olds walking around.

[glindathegoodwitch]

Union street bar in Newton Centre wouldl fit the bill. it is right on the D line so you could take the T into downtown Boston after if you wanted. also near Waltham.

[chowfamily]

Maggiano's in Park Square has several private rooms and family-style options which would allow the adults and young people multiple choices. It is walking distance to the Public Garden (arboretum, swan boats, ducklings) and the Common, Beacon Hill, and Back Bay. I would call ahead to reserve and confirm a TV, but the kids could have the run of the room without any pressure that others are waiting in line to be seated.

[chowfamily]

It would also allow them the privacy to support their team of choice - assuming that some of them are not yet Red Sox fans!

[mtm7654]

What about Jasper White's Summer Shack on Dalton S? They may take big groups. It's very informal but better than a chain and they have more than just seafood.

[Bob Dobalina]

Or the Alewife location - even better since they are staying out in Waltham.

Another thought is to call Lanes and Games in Alewife (Rt. 2), which might be able to arrange something to go along with bowling.

Also, there is a pretty good-sized Uno's in Waltham right off rt. 128 that surely could accommodate your party.

[Dax]

The burger at L&G was much better than expected, on my one trip there about 4 years ago.

[jfood]

Was thinking of Jilians as well but may be crowded with RS fans who could not get a ticket plus the food is pretty bad. But the kids will have a great time if they want to play all sorts of games.

I was also thinking Champps in the Marriott. Pleanty of TV's and they might rope off the back of the room to the left of the entrance. That probably seats 30 right there. Food is edible, nachos pretty good, four slyders and other hot doggy type stuff. Desserts are the best part.

[Dax]

The food I had at Champs was hardily edible the last time I was there. Pure Sysco food, dropped in a fryer. This was like 4 years ago, as I refused to return.

[jfood]

It ain't Clio's but think of 30 13-year olds in "a bar" watching big screen TV's, sucking down nachos and making believe their root beer is Sam Adams. Priceless. Make sure you bring a camera. That would have made a 13-year old Jfood pretty darn happy. BTW - the nachos and Slyders ain't so bad, but stay away from the double-burger, and yes it is sysco "quality", but it's a ballgame, remember "get your red hots" and cotton candy?

[Dax]

Hey I like Fenway Franks at the game, or the Sauage guy, but still, the OP said he was looking for a cut above the Sports Depot. Also, looking back, it seems the group size is 30, with only 1/3 being 13 year old kids. I just think the request is quite challenging, and cannot recall a place immediately that is not a sports bar yet has enough TVs. The food at places like the Depot (which actually has ok food for a sports bar), Clery's, Boston Beerworks, etc. is typically about average at best. In my opinion, the food at Champions tends to be worse than even those places.

[drothman66]

What about The Fours near the Garden? Is that area dead in the summer? How long a walk to Quincy Market? thanks

[MC Slim JB]

I don't know that I've ever seen kids in The Fours. It's kind of a typical pre-game hard-drinking crowd before the Bs and the Celts. A decent steak sub there. It's only about a ten-minute walk away from Quincy Market.

[hotoynoodle]

boston beer works, down the block from the fours, has an upstairs. might want to give a call. their food is decent and the beers are good. they also have pool tables up there.

[greenstate]

How about Eastern Standard in the Commonwealth Hotel, Kenmore Square? I spent a night in the hotel and I looked at the restaurant and it appeared able to fit your needs. Athough I never ate there, I've heard good things and I believe they are family friendly, burgers to sushi. Any personal recs for this establishment? Check their website. www.easternstandardboston.com

[Dax]

30 people, with at least 1/3 underage, might be a hard sell for a reservation considering ES will be packed with fans eating and drinking pre, during and post game. Plus, TVs are slim there (or used to be).

[drothman66]

it's now looking more like 20-25 and the kids are all 13 and from near and around NYC. we've done plenty of dinners with this group and no one's complained about the volume of business we generate (mainly because as the kids are eating burgers and such, the adults are usually sucking down steak and lobster. we rarely have a problem...it's not too hard to find spots in nyc, but then again on game nights, boston fans tend to congregate to watch an early june game while ny'ers are ok watching it at home or in a mixed crowd (meaning not everyone around here is a yankee crowd). it's an interesting dichotemy between the cities.

[Gabatta]

Having lived in both New York or Boston for extensive time, I think your analysis of the game watching habits in the two cities is not correct. However, there are certainly less venues in Boston.

In any case, I would suggest Champions at the Copley Marriot. Plenty of TVs and kid firendly. The food is standard bar fare at best, but your pickings will be slim on Friday night. Beerworks will have a line down the block that night.

[cmd]

Even the one over by the Garden (instead of by Fenway)?

I thought I read that Eastern Standard had a private room that might work...no idea if there are TVs (or if they could get there to be TVs) though.

I think the Kinsale over by Quincy Market has better-than-average pub food, but again, I can't think what the TV situation outside the bar is. It might be worth a call since it's near a good walk around area (waterfront, Faneuil Hall, North End).

Oh, speaking of the waterfront... there is a "Joe's American Bar & Grill" (a chain, but a small local one) down there, as well as one in the Back Bay. It's not my favorite place by any stretch, but does have the burger/steak/lobster combo you mention. I guess this is the refrain part, but I can't remember the TV situation (but Joe's and the Kinsale do seem to be in the likely-to-have-TVs category).

[hotoynoodle]

eastern standard's private room holds 15 people max. their tvs at the bar are pretty small. you cannot get near the place if the sox are home.

[JABDDD]

I second Beer Works. Yummy nachos and pretzels.

[kittychow]

I recently saw a group, with lots of kids, in the side room upstairs at Beerworks. No TVs in there though. I imagine you could sit a group that large downstairs if there's nothing going on at the Garden that night.

[Sgt Snackers]

Check out the Paddock in Somerville. They have a big back room, several TVs (I'm willing to bet good money they'll have the game on), and are great about accommodating groups like this. Now, keeping in mind that it's a Friday, AND you're talking about a Yanks/Sox game, it is possible that it might be more crowded than usual. But that place does not tend to get very crowded typically. Totally kitsch atmosphere, but they do fantastic pizza and are really, really friendly.

I guess it's not in "Boston proper" though. I think you are going to have a heck of a time getting into a place like the Sports Depot - and that doesn't really let you "walk around Boston" unless you include wandering around Allston with a bunch of drunken BU students after the game lets out.

[Bob Dobalina]

You should call the places around Fenway - it may already be too late, but I imagine you could get a bunch of tables at Game On, for example...

Jillian's / Lucky Strike may also be able to accommodate you -

Italian and TVs are going to be tough - I blanch at the mere thought, but a place like Vinny T's (formerly Vinny Testa's) may be able to give you a private room and who knows - maybe even provide a giant screen with two months notice.

[MC Slim JB]

This is indeed a tall order. Getting a reservation for 30 generally means arranging a private dining option or at least plunking down a credit card; 30 covers is a big commitment for a restaurant with a lot of TVs to make on a weekend night when the game will fill them up anyway. I think you're going to have to adjust your expectations down or your spending up here.

If you're a Yankees fan, you maybe shouldn't mention it: many hosts in town are Red Sox fans, and have watched the Yankees themselves make huge commitments since about the year 2000 that they didn't live up to, bwah hah! (I actually think that big honking payroll might actually amount to something this year: that's a pretty devastating offensive lineup, more like a classic Red Sox than a Yankees team, which means you'll probably lose to the Tigers in a heartbreaking seventh LCS game.)

[Joanie]

Yet who are we to yap about big payrolls? But what do I care, I've gotta wait 5 more months til football season then all will be right in the sports world. Unless Asante Samuel slips away.

[BostonBarGuy]

AS very unhappy according to today's Globe. When you compare the #'s to comparable signings, he's got a good point. I know, I know, my post isn't about food...

[Joanie]

I think Sports Depot might be your best bet because accommodating 30 people AND having enough TV's is pretty tough. I don't know what their reservation policy is tho. That's a tall order cuz all restaurants w/ TV's are going to be crowded for that game.

[ginnyhw]

As I recall the Sports Depot discourages parents bringigng kids. It's a barroom, not a family restaurant. They can't make money selling Pepsi.