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Our favorite famous Boston bars
  • Boston
  • December 7, 2019

Famous Boston Bars And Whether They’re Worth Your Time

Planning a trip to Boston? We know it can be tempting to check out all the famous Boston bars you’ve seen on the large and small screens when you visit a new town, so we checked out a few to see if they’re worth your time! Read along for our verdicts about whether you should include them on your next Boston pub crawl.

the most famous boston bar is Cheers

CHEERS

Cheers

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name—and buy a $32 shirt.

First and foremost, this Cheers is the tourist trap of tourist traps. Cheers has two locations in downtown Boston, the original in Beacon Hill, and the “Replica” in Faneuil Hall. The menu is full of reliable standbys (with headings like “Sam’s Starters”) and definitely looks more like the corporatized Cheers of the 1990s (after it was bought by Lillian Corporation) than of the Sam and Diane early 80s version.

Yeah, we’ve watched every episode, but we still don’t recommend it.

In it’s heyday, the venue was seeing about 3,000 customers a day, but now that there are two locations with extended hours, and millennials are killing late-night syndicated television (or something like that), you should be able to go there and get a totally average pub experience surrounded by slightly less annoying pub patrons than if you were to go to Dick’s Last Resort.

Unless you’re a Cheers superfan, this probably isn’t the place for you. Just snap a shot of yourself with the sign outside.

L-Street Tavern is Boston's famous bar for Good Will Hunting

L STREET TAVERN

Good Will Hunting

How about them apple(tinis). I’m kidding. Don’t order an appletini in Southie.

Our second stop is L Street Tavern it’s your standard, non-kitschy pub that happens to have a pretty great Yelp rating (and no website…). The menu is no frills and it’s pretty easy to find a space earlier in the day, but like any good bar, gets more packed as the nights go on.

Although the outside is identical to back when it was featured in the movie, it’s been remodeled since the Good Will Hunting days, so it’s not riding that nostalgia 20-years later, which I personally find appealing.

Otherwise, this is a quintessential Boston bar. They love Marathon Monday, their public servants, the Celtics, the Bruins, and the Sox.

If you just want beers and a chill night out at a bar—yeah, actually, you should.

Murphy's Law is Boston's famous bar from Gone Baby Gone

MURPHY’S LAW

Gone, Baby, Gone

Ok, we’re 2 for 3 on Affleck-related media, but what can we say? Those guys love their city, and they’ve made more than a few Boston bars famous.

Another Southie dive makes our list, à la the Afflecks. Murphy’s Law has a great beer and whiskey list, making it the prime location if you’re feeling a ‘beer and a shot’ vibe.

Sure, it’s a little messy and when it’s packed, the patrons tend to get rowdy (re: authentic), but typically you’re just sharing the bar with a few other locals. It’s certainly not an “experience” type of bar, but sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

If you want to experience Boston like the locals do (and get some affordable drinks) Murphy’s Law is a great place to bring your friends.

DON'T JUST READ IT. LIVE IT!

Want to explore a bit of everything? Try out Brews & Clues! We turn your phone into the city’s best tour guide. It’s a one of a kind experience that’s part pub crawl, trivia game, and history tour.  

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHEN ARE TOURS AVAILABLE?

Anytime. But, in order to get the full experience, you’ll want to play while the bars and pubs are open (typically from 12 pm–12 am). We do advise that you give yourself plenty of time – the tours typically take at least 3 hours. You can do it faster, but what’s the rush?

ARE DRINKS INCLUDED?

No, the cost of drinks are not included in the tour.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

That depends on you and your team. We hope you take your time, enjoy the sights, and explore the city at your leisure. But we are keeping score and this is a trivia challenge. You can finish in a few hours or easily spend the day—it’s up to you! It’s a self-guided tour so you control the pace. Plan for at least 3 hours and be ready to walk about 2 miles (but not all at once!). 

DO I NEED TO BE 21 TO PLAY?

In order to complete the tour, you’ll need to go in and out of bars, pubs and tap rooms. Some of those places, depending on the time of day, may restrict entry to anyone under 21. 

WILL IT WORK ON MY PHONE?

Yup. All our tours are created on a proprietary mobile application that works on any device. Seriously, as long as you can get on the internet, you can access our tours.

CAN I BRING ALL MY FRIENDS?

How many friends do you have?! We have team sizes available for all group sizes. But remember, you’re heading to local bars and pubs so we don’t recommend rolling in with a crew 30…

WHAT IF I DON'T DRINK?

That’s cool. Somebody has to answer the questions. We use local and historic bars as a way to guide you through the city and explore its history. Whether you drink or not, the experience is designed as fun, interactive and challenging for everyone to enjoy. 

Brews & Clues is not a trivia game with a drinking problem. The pubs and bars you’ll visit are historic landmarks and famous places. Even without a buzz, we’re confident that you’ll have a good time.  

WHAT IF I GET LOGGED OUT?

Don’t sweat it. We thought of that. Just re-open your activation email and click the “Get Started” link again. You’ll pick up right where you left off.

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Brews & Clues believes that the world is better when you share it with friends.