Who's Having A Great St. Paddy's Dinner In Boston This Year?

[thebumbles]

Looking to compile a list of Boston area restaurants/bars for an article about where to find a good St. Patrick's Day dinner. Anyone know of establishments having dinner specials 03/17 or other events throughout that weekend?

[mtm7654]

Amrhein's in so. Boston had a special of boiled dinner a few weeks ago and I'd imagine they're running it today. It was salty but otherwise very tasty. Grey corned beef, potatoes, beets, turnips, carrots, large pearl onions. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

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Amrheins Restaurant
80 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

[FoodDabbler]

This is too late for the OP's article, but it may help somebody: Andy's Diner on Mass Ave just past Porter (Arlington direction) is serving a surprisingly good boiled dinner today: corned beef (although advertised as "lean", it's thankfully not too), cabbage, beets, carrots, turnips and potatoes for a very good $8.95.

(It's a tradition in our home to go to Andy's for breakfast when school is out, and I couldn't resist getting a corned beef meal to go on the way out. I just tasted some of it and was pleased: the corned beef was tasty with the right saltiness, and the vegetables tasted like vegetables and were not mushy. What more can you ask of a boiled meal?)

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Andy's Diner
2030 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

[jjbourgeois]

Boston area restaurants serve food on St. Patrick's Day?!?!?! I think UzbekiFoodie has put it correctly, who serves good food despite the fact it's St. Pats day. Personally I avoid going out. I don't need to deal with the drunked beer swilling amateurs that will spend most of their time after 11pm praying to their porcelain gods.

[observor]

I would liike to know myself, first St. paddy's day in Boston and looking for a good place with good food.

[thebumbles]

I had to change the goal of my article for deadline's sake to a list of establishments in various regions of the city offering St. Patty's Day "events" - not just quality food. Here's the list that ended up being run - a variety of styles to fit the desires of different interests:

http://restaurants.uptake.com/blog/wh...

[C. Hamster]

Sorry I am late to repsond, but ...

With all due respect, that's a fairly odd list.

And it omits any establishments in Boston's most Irish Neighborhoods: Southie and Dot (as JJ Foley's is in the South End, not South Boston).

St. P's day here is not really about the food, I have to agree. SO yours was a tough task from the outset.

[thebumbles]

I was limited to internet research for event/specials on St. Patty's Day. Many of the places in the areas you speak of - including the tons of options in JP - either did not have websites at all or didn't have anything listed to promote. I ran out of time to make calls to those establishments and so had to run with what options I had.

Thank you for the Southie/So.End correction - I had submitted correctly to begin with and then in editing the change was made incorrectly. It is now correct again.

[C. Hamster]

I understand.

Doyle's in JP is super famous locally.

There are tons of real Irish bars in Dot and Southie for next year's list.

[thebumbles]

I have enjoyed Doyle's myself. In my brief research I came across a place in Dot called Gerard's that sounded like a cool little hole-in-the-wall beyond the convenience store entrance. Any experience with it?

[C. Hamster]

I can see Gerard's from my house! In the winter, from the roof at least. It's a block away.

Its a popular breakfast place; not recommended beyond that. Often desolate at night or tables of grey hairs. The small bar can get a bit more business. The convenience store entry is pretty odd ...

IMO the best place in the neighborhood is the new Irish butcher shop which has started serving food (lunch, breakfast).

[thebumbles]

Ah - OK. I had read they poured a great pint of Guiness.

[C. Hamster]

The bar is very small and quiet. Might be good Guiness but not exactly a destination spot.

[yumyum]

Olde Magoun's is doing a St. Paddy's hoolie. No cover, live music all day, and traditional dinner. Plus they pour a good pint.

[thebumbles]

Awesome. Thanks for the head's up! Love that phrase - hoolie. Describes what I'm trying to convey perfectly.

[LeoLioness]

It sounds fun, but I wonder if it's just another plastic cup, all-day drunkfest with messy results like so many other bars end up being on March 17? Are you planning to visit the places you write about, or are you just blindly compiling the list?

[thebumbles]

True - I am focused on a place for the meal and the festivities offered in conjunction. I am writing the list and will contact the places for details if I can't get what I need from their site. I'm trying to put together a guide of what's out there and provide the menu/entertainment details to let readers decide if it sounds like their kind of place.

[rknrll]

Magoun's website says they will be serving in proper glassware.
Glassware being underlined.

[yumyum]

Yeah. I don't get the impression they will get a lot of plastic cup / green beer crowds. But I've never been to the event there. I do know the guy who's playing during the day (Ronan Quinn) and he's very good.

[LeoLioness]

That glass thing is funny! I've been for big playoff games and it's a fairly rowdy crowd, but it does seem like they might be going for something else here.

[yumyum]

Having just returned from Olde Magoun's I can attest their St. Paddy's offerings are great. Corned beef and cabbage dinner, plus boiled Irish bacon dinner, plus Shepherd's pie, plus a nicely pulled pint. Not too crazy yet either, but it will get nutso later.

Sláinte!

[Aromatherapy]

Thanks for the update!

[UzbekiFoodie]

I'm unfamiliar with any sort of "great" culinary element to St. Paddy's day, so really doubt you will find a "great dinner" anywhere, unless it is at a good place which has nothing to do with the holiday. Why not write an article about how to find good food, *despite* the fact that it is St. Patrick's Day?

[thebumbles]

Now now - surely boiled dinners can be good?

[pemma]

Boiled dinners are great. The Boston area pubs will be serving corned beef and cabbage, but I will be going to my Irish in-laws for a boiled dinner of corned beef and smoked shoulder. I prefer the shoulder. My Italian mother and grandmother used to make boiled dinners with shoulder, too. Do any local pubs serve shoulder?

[lulu806]

We are going to District 7 in Malden on 3/17 and 3/19 - they are having a special menu that weekend (not sure exactly what yet) and Preacher Jack is playing there on 3/19. He's supposed to be a really great piano player/entertainer. This is our new local hangout. Food is very good and they have a very varied specials list every weekend with some interesting menu items for a pub (cajun mahi mahi, chicken milanese, etc.)

[thebumbles]

Thanks lulu. Will contact them for details!