Faneuil Hall/North End Food/Drink

[gags22]

Traveling to Boston over the weekend for work. Have a couple questions that you guys may be able to help with.

1. Do you know of a decent pub near Faneuil Hall/North End where I can catch the Bills game?
2. Any other pubs that are on the 'not to be missed' list in that area?
3. As for North End eats, I was thinking Giacomo's based on some posts on this board. Any other recommendations? I hear Cafe Florentine is decent as well.

Thanks!

[ladym16]

The Harp, near TD Garden (a couple blocks from Faneuil Hall area), is a Bills-backers bar.

[gags22]

PERFECT, thanks!

[gags22]

One more question. I was looking at Strega as well, but it looks a little nicer, and we'll probably be in jeans. Strega takes reservations thought, and Giacomo's does NOT. How long of a wait can I expect at Giacomo's on a Sunday night (probably around 8:00 or so)?

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Strega
379 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113

[Pegmeister]

Jeans are okay at Strega. I actually like the food there, although I don't think there are many that share that opinion. I do, however, have an issue with the bottled water, they have a tendancy to NOT ask your preference, then serve you bottled water and add $5 to the bill. I find this particularly annoying as I tend not to drink water with my meal. Giacomo's generally has a line down the street and I would assume a good long wait.

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Strega
379 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113

[gags22]

Thanks for the info. How about parking near F. Hall? I hate driving around looking for lots, so if you can point me to a reasonably priced lot in the area, I'd GREATLY appreciate it.

[emannths]

I often find parking on the street on Cambridge Street. You can use Parkopedia to find garages and get an idea of pricing. You should be able to park in a garage all day for about $10.

http://en.parkopedia.com/parking/boston/

[mkfisher]

I might take a little heat for suggesting this on CH, but I actually like watching football games at Clarke's in Faneuil Hall. They have tons of TV's and have the DirectTV package so they get all the games (plus the Red Zone channel).

[emannths]

Pub-wise, I like the Kinsale near Government Center. Good selection of beer, and good prices. They have a number of TVs, so they'll probably have the game on, but I rarely watch football there so I can't be sure. If they don't have it on, there are plenty of sports bars in the area due to its proximity to the Garden.

What are you looking for in a pub? Atmosphere, good beer, food...? The best in Boston are a couple stops away on the T.

Giacomo's (cash only, no reservations, relatively cramped and loud) is good for moderately-priced pasta. Like much of the North End, it's heavily influenced by "red sauce" Italian-American cuisine, as opposed to regional Italian cuisine.

For other North End options, you might want to take a look at the following thread. You'll have to cross-reference it with some online menus though, as the suggests span a wide range of prices and settings: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/798145