The 15 best places to dine & drink before or after your show.
Boston restaurants offer up memorable food as varied as the city's rich history.
Looking for lobster dinners and fresh seafood? The best Italian cuisine outside of Italy? Historic taverns where the Sons of Liberty plotted the American Revolution? Fun sports bars?
You can find all of that and a lot more in Boston. With about 3,000 restaurants, including many small chef-owned bistros you won't find anywhere else, you'll find lots to love here: fresh local and New England ingredients, flavors from around the world, and warm welcomes.
Featuring the best local and New England ingredients and a mix of flavors from around the world, our talented chefs serve up something for every taste and budget.
So where should you dine and drink, especially if you're a visitor to Boston and not familiar with all the options?
Every neighborhood offers fantastic choices, from casual to swanky, affordable to break-the-bank - with so many choices, figuring out what's on offer and where to go can be tough.
To make deciding where to go easier, we've put together this guide to Boston's lively dining and drinking scene, with choices organized by location, by cuisine, and experiences such as historic taverns, outdoor dining, sports bars, wine bars, and cheap eats.
We hope you'll love the huge variety of Boston's lively dining and drinking scene as much as we do!
Top photo: Outdoor dining along Newbury Street in the Back Bay neighborhood
Boston Neighborhood Restaurant Guides
You'll love the Boston Harbor views and wonderful food at these lively Seaport restaurants
Find the top chef-owned restaurants in this trendy art-filled neighborhood
5 Chinatown restaurants where you'll love the food as well as the fun ambiance
This super-fashionable neighborhood offers a vast array of excellent places to dine
With the highest percentage of chef-owned restaurants in the city, the South End offers an eclectic mix of excellent dining
Enjoy big screens, a bit of Ireland, live music, and plenty of fun at these bars near Fenway Park . . . More
Want to try traditional Boston and New England cuisine? The Food Hall at Quincy Market offers traditional fare (plus modern faves)
Want information about Boston neighborhoods and districts where these restaurants are located? Check out our Boston Neighborhood Guide.
Boston Food Tours
Where to Eat & Drink in Boston by Cuisine
Whether you crave a lobster roll, Chinese dim sum, or just turkey (or not) for Thanksgiving, these articles will help you find the best in Boston!
Indulge in Irish cuisine, Guinness, and cheer in these corners of Ireland in Boston, with Irish football on the big screens and maybe a live trad session
The Barking Crab is as close as you'll get to a clam shack or lobster shack in Boston - and it's a fun place to go
Historic Places to Dine & Drink
Almost 200 years old and serving up the freshest seafood, this historic restaurant near Faneuil Marketplace boasts one of the city's best oyster bars
More about Dining in Boston
- Cheap Eats in Boston - Insider's tips about where to find great food at affordable prices in Boston
- Boston Dinner Cruises - Combine gourmet dining with sightseeing tours around the Harbor on these luxury cruise boats
- Dine Out Boston - Winter Event - Find dates and participating restaurants for Restaurant Week in March
- Dine Out Boston - Summer Event - Find dates and participating restaurants for Restaurant Week in August
- Tips & Strategies for Scoring Restaurant Week Reservations - Want to snag Dine Out reservations at the city's top restaurants? Find out how
- Boston Food Trucks - Find out about these popular Boston dining venues
- Boston Food Truck Locations - Where to find these popular kitchens on wheels
- How to Steam a Lobster - In case you want to dine on lobster at home
- How to Boil a Lobster - Another way to prepare this popular treat at home
- Cookbooks by Top Boston Chefs - Find out how to prepare a taste of Boston at home
More Articles about Dining Destinations in Boston
- Experience a taste of Ireland in Boston's favorite Irish pubs
- Check out Boston's hottest chef-owned restaurants in Fort Point
- Find Boston's best wine bars, wine tasting festivals, and wine shops offering free wine tastings
- Get the best dining deals around during Boston Restaurant Week
- Get a glimpse of Boston history when you visit our historic taverns
Need a Boston Hotel?
Use this handy hotel map from Booking.com to find the perfect place to stay. Just enter your dates to find what's available, see the best rates, and make your reservations.
Booking.comPopular Boston Attractions & Tours Right Now
- Italian Food Tour of Boston's North End - Savor samples of the iconic North End's best cuisine
- Champagne City Lights Cruise - Raise your glass of bubbly & toast Boston's glowing skyline
- Boston After Dark: Ghosts & Spirits Tour - Explore the darker side of Boston
- Northern Lights Sunset Cruise - Watch the sky turn brilliant colors you enjoy light background music
- Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour - See top Boston attractions the fun way
- Live Irish Music Cruise - Enjoy live Irish tunes on this fun sightseeing cruise
- Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum - Join a historical adventure as you travel back in time to 1773
Top Boston Events
Boston Bus to Wrentham Outlets
Want to save on designer fashion at Boston's biggest discount mall located south of the city?
