Oysters & a TV?

[nelliewang]

Hi CHers!

I hate to admit it, but I'm a looooong time lurker on this Board. However, I've vowed to start posting and reviewing more often, especially to make up for how much time I spend reading everyone else's thoughts. So, thanks to all the regulars -- I've eaten very well for a long time because of you!

Moving on...I have a conundrum.

I need to find a place downtown (financial, downtown x-ing, near Park) that serves oysters with some yummy, crisp white wine options (perhaps champagne??), but also has a TV! A friend is visiting from the Midwest with a serious hankering for oysters (can't blame her) but who also needs to watch the NFL draft for work reasons. We'll likely sit at the bar and linger for a while, gossiping, of course.

We'll be in downtown crossing and can stay there (maybe Marliave?), but if the options don't make sense, we'll hop on the Red to head home and perhaps grab a seat at the bar of either Foundry or Russell House. She'll be toting her rolly luggage around too, in case we needed another wrench thrown in...

Any thoughts very welcomed! Thanks!

[nelliewang]

Hi everyone -- thanks again for all your advice. A few days late, but I wanted to keep my promise of reviewing and reporting more often...

With the rain that evening, we wanted to get closer to home to make the commute a bit easier, so we dropped into Russell House, which once again delivered great food, drinks and, most importantly, oysters for the two of us. We had a couple seats at a high top near the bar and with three TVs down there, they actually already had the Draft playing when we arrived and had no problem keeping it on until we left. The hostess, bartenders and servers were extremely accommodating -- considering it was fairly busy that night (even the downstairs "side area" was open, which I haven't seen before on a weeknight), it was all the more impressive.

Other than our oysters (all East Coast and all crisp, briny and delicious), my favorite dish of the night was the daily house-made terrine of smoked whitefish (or maybe smoked trout) which was creamy yet bursting with smoky, salty flavor. We needed two additional deliveries of baguette crisps to scrape up every last bite!

[Dave MP]

Just wanted to say welcome to nelliewang...glad to see you posting!

I hope the replies here are helpful and that you'll find a good bar to go to...let us know how it turns out!

Dave MP

[C. Hamster]

If you are talking about Round One of the draft, it kicks off at 7:30 tomorrow night. The Sox and Celtics both start at 8. Not sure when the hockey game starts.

So maybe you can watch Andrew Luck head to the Colts before they change the channel at a place with good oysters and drinkable champagn.

[mhead]

nellie, I would try the bar at the Rowes Wharf hotel in you decide to stay downtown. the oysters and other shell fish are dependable, good (long) wine list, great service. and the place is quiet enough that you will actually be able to hear the Draft if your friend is so inclined.

[libertywharf]

Do you need sound with that tv, because the two don't always come together. Rowes wharf bar is nice but expensive and boring. They stick to rules and may not turn the sound up
Go to Bond at the Langham hotel. During the day Eddie McGuire is the bartender. He'll put the draft on and take care of your oysters and champagne.
Bond is in the financial district on Franklin and I think high street.

[hotoynoodle]

the bar at the boston harbor hotel doesn't open til 4 and they only have 2 tvs. the draft is not going to be playing over those other games.

you may want to try smith & wollensky at the seaport. plenty of tvs and serviceable oysters.

[mhead]

The draft starts starts at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, and the Bruins will not be playing that night. You are underestimating the power of the NFL draft. It will be on or the bar tenders will put it on if requested.

[C. Hamster]

You need a place that has lots of TVs because there is nothing more boring than the NFL draft. I doubt if anyone would put it on unless there are other tvs.

Im trying tothink... but sports bars and great oysters do not go hand in hand ....

[chevrelove]

Does the downtown Summer Shack have a sports bar like the one at Alewife? If so, there you go.

[C. Hamster]

"downtown" as in Back Bay? They have a bar, but I dont think its a sports bar ...

The NFL draft is on tv for three days ... I hope she doesnt have to watch all of it!

[chevrelove]

Yes, the one location in Boston. My experience lies with the Cambridge location, and unfortunately, Mohegan Sun - once.

[nelliewang]

Thanks Fly...totally forgot to consider the other sports schedules. We'll definitely set the DVR at home and now probably need to consider a place with 2-3 TVs...and reliable oysters? Whew, this is a tough one.

[LeoLioness]

Marliave was my first thought--the bar is never too crowded or loud, so it's good for catching up.

[Bob Dobalina]

Does Marliave have a TV? Don't remember one.

[LeoLioness]

Yes, right over the bar. Though I forgot about the other games on TV and they just have the one set, so I take back my suggestion.

[Fly]

I think you probably want to find a place with two TVs. The Sox are sure to get priority over the NFL draft at any reasonable bar.

And if you're concerned about round 2 on Friday, there's a chance of Bruins hockey, too.

[C. Hamster]

The draft will be competing against the Sox, the Celtics and a NHL playoff game on Thursday.

[ScotchandSirloin]

"Needs to watch the NFL draft for work reasons." A problem I wish I could have a thousand times over.

[emannths]

The bar at a Legal Seafoods might work. I don't know what their wine options are like, but I've always found their oysters dependable.

[hotoynoodle]

legal's has an excellent wine program and very fair pricing.