Recommendations for old school/divey/gritty Boston spots - restaurants and bars (w/ or w/o food)

[southernwayfarer]

Trying to get off the beaten path with a couple of guests coming into town. I'd like to show them some of old school Boston. Looking for recs for old school/divey/gritty Boston spots. They don't have to be divey or gritty, really looking for a strong sense of place that might make up for shortcomings (if any) in the food. The two places I have on the tentative list are Rinos and Bell Isle Seafood. Thanks in advance.

[threedogs]

Just went out of my way to eat at Grille 705 near Boston Medical Center (had a Groupon that only cost me $1 - can't figure that one out - but it appeared after I filled out their survey). Definitely old school (no beer/alchohol & only open 7am - 4pm, but everyday) - clean, freshly painted, looks like the delis from 30 yrs ago. Huge amount of good, decent food.

I'm hoping to return w/my 6' 2'' adult son with the insatiable appetite, lol.

[barleywino]

Bleacher bar looking out on Fenway (try the pastrami and put your name on the list for a window table)

[BobB]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the Plough & Stars yet. Seriously old school, character up the wazoo, decent food, plus live music every night of the week (and some afternoons).

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Plough & Stars
912 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

[Madrid]

I love Plough & Stars, but hasn't it had serious spiffing up in the past 10 years? Charming but glossily painted...not that I mind that at all. Also serious food spiffing up...food is a bit more than decent, I think. Is that old Cambridge dive up Mass Ave towards Central still there.....the one with the Communist-like signs? Can't remember the name at all...could it be Republic of Cambridge?

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Plough & Stars
912 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

[rknrll]

Yeah, the Plough is far from old school/divey/gritty.
People's Republik is still there and still stinks.

[Chicken with a Capon]

People's Republik stinks as in it's a bad bar or a bar that smells bad? We would, however, be in agreement on both points.

[BobB]

It may have - I don't get there nearly as often as I did when I lived on that side of the river many years ago, and when I have been in lately it's been after dark and the place was mobbed so I didn't pay much attention to the decor. I guess I still carry around the old image of it in my head and superimpose it over the reality.

Still, I give it props for having survived so many decades.

[jgg13]

Yeah, they underwent a pretty hefty renovation a couple of years ago.

[hotoynoodle]

plough definitely has outrun its divey past. heck ~~ the bartenders wear vests now.

[jgg13]

Hah, that's a change that's new to me. It's been a while since I"ve been there at night, I tend to go there for brunch as I'm not a big live music guy nor much into paying covers. I know that the last time I was there I noticed a surprisingly booze selection (e.g. rittenhouse)

[hotoynoodle]

give it a shot. it remains a good bar, without pretense.

[jajjguy]

Whitney's in Harvard Sq.
The Middle East Restaurant

While we're at it, let's take a moment to recall the Cambridgeport Saloon, Tommy's Lunch, the Wursthaus, the Beehive (the Harvard Sq diner), the Tasty, Nick's Beef and Beer... ok that's enough

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Middle East Restaurant
472 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

[chickendhansak]

Has anyone mentioned Newtowne in Porter yet?

[enhF94]

Hey, yeah. Newtowne has surprisingly decent pizza.

[jgg13]

Newtowne is another place (a la TCs) that's really spruced up over time. Less townies, more college & not-that-far-out-of-college kids. Fresh coat of paint, newer TVs. It's just a bar that has cheap beer & pizza now, nothing gritty about it.

[Madrid]

oh yes, Nick's Beef and Beer. I spent many a night there in college getting the cheap black and white Russians (drinking age 18 then). Did that become Grafton St? Penny, I was never at the pre-Island Hopper, but every time I go I want them to be a bit better.Now that I know the history....ok, ok!

[hiddenboston]

I still have part of the Nick's Beef and Beer sign in my garage.

[yumyum]

By the end it was Nick's bee and bee ho. Loved that!

[dfan]

"Eef and bee ho", I believe (Google seems to agree). I loved that sign. The location is now Temple Bar.

[yumyum]

You're right of course. I could never quite make it out thru my beer goggles. Thanks for the memories!

[pantsbensch]

Just so happens I've got a list of about 100 of them for you right here! ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Bostons-Best-Di...

[melon]

Steve "The Rifleman" Flemmi used to eat at the Busy Bee in Brookline...

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Busy Bee Restaurant
1046 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446

[BostonZest]

And, at that disgusting, dirty Chinese restaurant that used to be where Island Hopper is now on Massachusetts Avenue between Newbury and Commonwealth. The draperies in the front window had 30 years of dirt on them.

Talk about improving a spot. Island Hopper must take the prize for that category. Every time I go into Island Hopper I give thanks.

Penny
http://www.bostonzest.com/

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Island Hopper
91 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115

[purple bot]

Pleasant Cafe in Roslindale! All the dialect experts in the world couldn't duplicate those waitress' accents. Love that place.

[Chris B.]

Not sure if it is still open............. But I have fond memories of the steak tips at the Quiet Man Pub in Southie.

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Quiet Man Pub & Restaurant
11 W Broadway South, Boston, MA

[Guinness02122]

Unfortunately, they've been gone for a few years.

[Berheenia]

O'Leary's in Brookline. The Corrib in Brookline and West Roxbury.Solid food and much better drink prices than the yuppy bars.

[phipsi102]

I would second Aces High in Southie and JJ Foleys South End, I would add Hogan's Run in Brighton, Model Cafe and Silhouette Lounge in Allston.

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Hogan's Run
8 Lincoln St, Brighton, MA 02135

[nightsky]

Haymarket Pizza

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Haymarket Pizza
106 Blackstone St, Boston, MA 02109

[cheesehead in recovery]

Yes. Haymarket Pizza is the best!

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Haymarket Pizza
106 Blackstone St, Boston, MA 02109

[nasilemak]

Wai Wai in chinatown would qualify.

[Guinness02122]

Might be a little scary, especially the lady behind the counter!

[nasilemak]

she is just surly. anyone would be too if they had to work there!

[kobuta]

+1 Exactly what I was thinking.

[trufflehound]

Pleasant Cafe, Rossie
Beacon Hill Pub

Is Martin's Townhouse still open?

[SEH]

Frank's Steakhouse, Cambridge
Mount Vernon, Somerville

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Frank's Steak House
2310 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

[jajjguy]

Yes to both! Get the twin lobsters at Mt V or the "sizzler" at Franks

[mtm7654]

Ditto New Bridge, JJ Foley and Santarpios. Also, Durgin Park, Cantina Italiana (for the retro North End vibe-as long as they haven't renovated since I was last there!).

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Cantina Italiana
346 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113

Durgin Park
1 Faneuil Hall Sq, Boston, MA 02109

[food_lubber]

Newbridge Cafe in Chelsea

[food_lubber]

Warren Tavern in Charlestown...

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Warren Tavern Restaurant
2 Pleasant St, Charlestown, MA 02129

[acker]

I'd say Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe on columbus Avenue in the South End. Go for breakfast as they're only open til 2 (i think). Also I think they're closed on sundays too. I recommend the cranberry pancakes.

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Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe
429 Columbus Ave Ste 1, Boston, MA 02116

[Guinness02122]

The Erie Pub, Dorchester
The Banshee, Dorchester (sort of fits the bill)
Biddy Early's, The Financial District
Mr. Dooley's, The Financial District
Intermission Lounge, Theatre District (far better than Jacob Wirth's)
The Blackthorn, South Boston
Flann O'Brien's, Jamaica Plain
Brendan Behan Pub, Jamaica Plain
Murphy's Law, South Boston

There are probably a few hundred or more places. You could almost throw a rock and hit one.

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Jacob Wirth Restaurant
31 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116

Biddy Early's
141 Pearl St Ste 1, Boston, MA 02110

Murphy's Law
837 Summer St, Boston, MA 02127

Brendan Behan Pub
378 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

[pemma]

Sullivan's Tap should be on that list.

[Guinness02122]

The Twelve Bens, JJ's Irish Bar (not to be confused with JJ Foley's), The Sevens, Harp & Bard, Dot Tavern, Aces High, The Connection, Sullivan's Pub, that no name pool bar across from Laboure Center in South Boston, The Playwright, The Green Dragon, Bell In Hand (oldest bar in America) etc...we could keep going until Christmas. And they're all "old school Boston" that caters to the poster.

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Harp & Bard Restaurant
1099 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

Dot Tavern
840 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

Twelve Ben's
315 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122

[postemotional1]

Ramrod/Machine at 1254 Boylston St. Boston is a true dive bar with the added attraction of leathermen and drag queens cavorting during Red Sox games.

[Madrid]

Charlie's Kitchen and Grendel's Den, , Harvard Square

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Charlie's Kitchen
10 Eliot St, Cambridge, MA 02138

[hotoynoodle]

grendel's can be overrun with students who have gotten far too sloppy. the one time i went i couldn't believe how messed up people were, and er, not "making it to the bathroom," shall we say.

[trufflehound]

JJ Foleys
Costello's and Galway House in JP
Halfway Cafe in Dedham

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Galway House
720 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

[Canadian Tuxedo]

I just wanted to second the Galway--they have a pretty good beer selection and the food can be surprisingly good...

...and it's not lacking in gritty.

[rknrll]

Sligo Pub, Somerville
TC's Lounge, Boston

[Guido]

Bull McCabes, Somerville (formerly Tir na N'Og)
surprised you didn't mention Regina's Thatcher St.

[jgg13]

TCs has been discovered by the college/slightly post college crowd over the last few years. Lines are longer, and grittiness has all but disappeared.

[hiddenboston]

A few that come to mind....

Doyle's, JP
Santarpio's, East Boston
The Field, Cambridge
The Paddock, Somerville
La Hacienda, Somerville
Cappy's Tavern, Readville
Cronin's, Quincy
Waterfront Cafe, North End
Costello's, JP
The Corrib, West Roxbury
Monte's, Lynn
The Sevens, Beacon Hill

[hazelhurst]

I thought f'sure you were gonna send him to The Penalty Box

[hiddenboston]

Hee hee! Or King Arthur's in Chelsea.

[hazelhurst]

Ouch! How cruel...I like it. (Actually I wished I coulda been at The Penalty Box they night they won back the Cup. Doyle's woulda been number two, I think.)

[rknrll]

I like these, but don't get your pick for The Field.

[hiddenboston]

Probably more sentimental reasons than anything. (A lot of my friends have hung out there over the years.)

[hazelhurst]

What about Jake Wirth's? Been there lately? When I'm in town I sometimes have a few there before a Sox game. You get decent beer, don;t get clipped like you do at/in Fenway, and the Green Line is practically right there.

[hiddenboston]

I was going to add that as well, but I think I got distracted. :-) Yes, Jacob Wirth's should definitely be on the list, IMO.

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Jacob Wirth Restaurant
31 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116