The best bars and cafés Boston

Timetable

In Boston, pubs generally open at noon, as they serve food for lunch. More upscale venues, such as cocktail bars, rarely open before 4pm. Closing times vary from 11pm on weekdays to a maximum of 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. You won't find places open until 4 or 5 in the morning like in France. It's simply not part of the culture: here, evenings start earlier and end earlier!

During Happy Hour, generally offered on weekdays between 3pm and 6pm, bars offer cocktails, beers or glasses of wine at reduced prices.

Budget & Tips

Going out is quite expensive in Boston, especially when it comes to alcohol. A glass of wine rarely costs less than US$12, and cocktails are generally around US$15. Beers are less expensive, costing around US$7 on draught.

Please note that these prices do not include local tax (6.25% in Massachusetts) or tip. It's customary to leave a US$1 or US$2 tip per glass or, if you've had many drinks and are paying by credit card, around 18% of the bill, as in a restaurant.

Age restrictions

We don't joke about the legal age in the United States! As far as drinking is concerned, it is 21 years old. At the entrance of the bars, after a certain time, you will be asked to show your ID card. If you are under the legal age, you will not have a chance to get in. However, in some bars that are also restaurants, minors may enter if accompanied by a responsible adult and provided they do not consume alcohol. If in doubt, it is best to make a quick phone call to the bar you wish to visit.

What's very local

Bostonians drink beer as well as wine and cocktails. The latter are generally well made and often surprising, as everywhere in the United States. But the speciality of the city is still the Irish pubs, a legacy of the massive Irish immigration of the early 19th century. The locals love their good-natured atmosphere and cheap pints of Guinness. We've put together a top 5 of the best Irish pubs in the city!

Kids

Minors will only be permitted to enter a bar that is serving alcohol if they are accompanied by a responsible adult and do not consume alcohol. The place must serve food and the child is generally not allowed in the bar. At the entrance to the bars, after a certain hour, bouncers ask for passports and sometimes do not let under-21s in, even if they are accompanied and do not intend to drink alcohol. It's a bit of a case by case situation, so make sure you make a phone call to find out the policy of the place you're interested in.

Smokers

In Boston, smoking is prohibited in confined public spaces, a law that is in effect in all bars and cafes in the city, and is also valid for electronic cigarettes. Even on outdoor patios, even when there are no ban signs, it is frowned upon to light a cigarette. It is simply not in the country's mores. The best way to avoid embarrassment is to move a few metres away before lighting your cigarette.