PUBLISHED 3/19/2024
Sure, it’s great to dress up for the night and hit the new spot everyone is talking about — but there is perhaps nothing as quintessentially Boston as rolling into the neighborhood haunt, ordering a cheap pint, and striking up a conversation with a local. There are so many options in our fair city, we had a hard time picking only a few — but we took our best shot. Honorable mentions include: Biddy Early’s in the Financial District, Durty Nelly’s outside Faneuil Hall, the Side Bar in Downtown Crossing, and of course, Sullivan’s Tap near the Garden — which was almost too obvious to mention.
Whitney’s, Harvard Square
What makes a good dive bar? Well, there are a few things. Darts, a jukebox, and bartenders that make you feel at home is a great place to start. Whitneys, in the heart of Cambridge, has all of this — plus a very un-divey menu that includes hot pretzels, wings, and potato wedges. There’s a reason this high-energy spot has been a staple for locals since 1953.
Bukowski Tavern, Back Bay
One of the most reliable spots for a beer under $10 (sorry, they don’t serve the hard stuff). Appropriately shabby and crowded with interesting people, it almost shouldn’t be considered a dive bar because the food is too good — with chili cheese dogs, poutine tater tots, and big, messy burgers.
Silhouette Lounge, Allston
There are few Boston-area dive bars more beloved than the Silhouette Lounge. Pitchers and cocktails are cheap, there’s free popcorn, there’s a pool table, and there are LOTS of dart boards. Perhaps most importantly, they offer free hot dogs for life for anyone who devotes a tattoo to the bar. Now THAT’S a dive!
Corner Cafe, North End
Steps from all the tourist-packed spots, Corner Cafe is definitely for the locals. The CC comes complete with the perfunctory Keno slips, scratch ticket vending machine, and jukebox (that the bartenders may eschew for their 80s playlist — hey we’re not complaining!). They also have a full liquor license — rarer than you’d think in the North End.
Eddie C’s, Eastie
A Maverick Square institution that’s low on ambience, but high on fun. Cash only (because of course) with an analog jukebox (also makes sense), Eddie C’s has PBR pitchers and bartenders who long ago instituted “the townie pour.” Think of it as that high school crush who had zero interest in impressing you, and yet you couldn’t stop thinking about.
The Tam, Midtown
The Tam, just on the edge of the Theatre District, straddles the line between a proper Irish Pub and dive bar. The perfect blend of no-frills-cheap and happy-to-see-you cheer, it’s a great late-night stop after paying top-dollar for a comedy show or concert on Theater Row. Too crowded? Check out the 4th Wall, a few doors down. A little less divey, just as much fun.
