Sitting at the Bar, Saturday Night, 7 p.m., where to go?

[Kat]

Childless for a few hours on a Sat night, want to make a quick trip into the city for dinner (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville). Looking to sit at the bar so we don't need to make a reservation, have cocktails, an app and entree each or a number of small plates, in a loud, lively atmosphere with good people watching. Love Toro, but afraid that we will not have enough time to eat there since it is usually totally packed. Don't want to spend more than $150 for drinks and food for two. Haven't been in the city to eat for a while and am totally out of the loop on new places. Will eat any type of food. Any suggestions or direction? Many thanks.

[gimlis1mum]

Where did you end up, and how was it?

[Kat]

So, we ended up at ICOB since DH had an oyster craving. We arrived shortly before 7 p.m. and were able to grab two of the last bar seats. The place was packed. He ordered a dozen oysters and I had the tuna tartare (can't have shellfish). I haven't had tuna tartare in a loong time (it used to be my '90s Atkins diet staple) and it was quite good. Spouse raved about his oysters, particularly the ones he chose from Maine. I have one question that I should have asked the server but perhaps someone knows the answer: what is in the butter at ICOB? I bit into a piece butter on the bread and the butter tasted as though it had been mixed with granulated sugar with a bit of heat added. It was sugary sweet. IMHO, it was truly awful. Anyone know? Otherwise, loved ICOB and would happily return. A big thank you to all CHers for your suggestions and I'm keeping the other ones for future meals.

[yumyum]

It's honey butter with a little bit of cayenne. I hate it too.

[SimplyMarie]

Honey Butter with cayenne? That sounds disgusting.

[Wannabfoode]

Personally I find the honey butter it quite delicious. To each their own.

[rknrll]

Agreed...so good.

[Kat]

Yes, to each their own.

[opinionatedchef]

kat, this is funny; i thought that butter was intended just for the fabulous biscuit that we always order there. Honey cayenne butter is terrific w/ the biscuit, but i certainly wouldn't want to eat that anywhere near tuna tartare.

[Unfoodie]

Forget all the previous mentions except for Russell and ICOB because they either have small bars or aren't suited for people watching.Temezcal or the new Legal Harboride are big and offer great visual entertainment although the menu options wouldn't stand alone. Forum offers great menu options plus the ability to view Boylston St. from the first or second floor. If you can grab the booth seat at the end of the bar at The Citizen it will provide a great opportunity to view the entire space.

[libertywharf]

The op mentioned they wanted to stay away from packed places. Tezmecal is nice but always packed, even now with the colder weather arriving.

The places I mentioned will give the op a good chance to be seated at the bar, and have a good meal. People watching can be done at the mall.

In fact, unless one has a lot of time to spare, they should skip all the the restaurants at liberty wharf in the seaport area, if eating at the bar is their primary choice

[Unfoodie]

Finding a place that isn't packed on a Saturday night in the city of Boston is next to impossible.

[libertywharf]

Yes, my comments obviously were directed to Saturday evenings. If one wanted to head out on a Sunday evening, things are different. I was at tezmecal and legals harborside last night, and they were both pretty baron.

[opinionatedchef]

as in barren? or is this a new expression like 'boss' or 'the man'?

At Legal's, did you get hhook's " angels singing" shortrib bruschetta with fontina and truffle oil?yummm.

[libertywharf]

Restaurants with nice bars to eat at;
Oak room, bond at the Langham hotel, mortons in the seaport district.

[emannths]

There are number of glowing reports about dining at the bar at Island Creek Oyster Bar. You could peer into ICOB and Eastern Standard and pick whichever appeals.

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Eastern Standard
528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Island Creek Oyster Bar
500 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

[Bob Dobalina]

A few possibilities, primarily on the loud people watching tip...although 7pm is not really the loud people watching time of night - that starts later than your sitter is willing to stay. ;)

Red Lantern, Storyville, Area 4, Eastern Standard, Craigie, Highland Kitchen...

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Eastern Standard
528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Red Lantern
235 Shrewsbury St, Worcester, MA 01604

[Fly]

Russell House?

[gimlis1mum]

Went to Russell House tonight with two of my momfriends. Our first time there and we all agreed that it's a pretty good place to go when you want to escape the kids :-). I chose it mostly for their menu - lots of small plates that sounded interesting - but also for their cocktails, which also sounded interesting. It was very busy at 7pm and there were some technical problems, such as our warm burrata salad arriving stone cold (it tasted pretty good anyway) but overall we liked it very much. We shared five or six small plates/appetizers and a pizza, and two of us had two drinks each, for a total of $115 before tip. We had a reservation but there's a bar upstairs as well as downstairs in the restaurant, I would think that they could fit you in somewhere.