Find your best look in those constant favorites, from classics like J. J. Foley’s to cozy spots like the Druid and plenty of captivating dives.

The Irish pub is a predominant type of bar in cities that are not home to massive populations of Irish descent. So it’s no surprise that Boston’s domain is full of gorgeous, and in many cases downright historic, bars to consume and spill a perfectly poured pint of Guinness. Here we have chosen the 16 most comfortable and lively places to chat and have a drink. Whether it’s a live music consultation at a corner stall, a rugby match on the flat screen, a crackling fireplace in the dining room, or just a few locals in chunky brogues sitting next to you, these Irish pubs offer truly original experiences.

Last updated: March 2024; Keep an eye out for regular updates.

The Banshee, a lively sports bar on Dorchester Avenue, is the official headquarters of several local sections of foreign football fan clubs; It’s also the most trusted place in town to watch rugby. Culinarily, the pub is rarely really interested in Irish food — find everything from spring rolls with meat and cheese to burritos and pizza on the ready-to-eat menu — but the cozy atmosphere and a healthy dose of Guinness really ticks the boxes.

934 Dorchester Ave. , Dorchester, Boston, 617-436-9747, bansheeboston. com.

If you’re looking for an Irish pub near Faneuil Hall, stick around at this stall that’s been serving pints for almost 50 years. Here you’ll find a mythical culture of live Irish music, and the menu combines New England classics with Irish delights. Spend a weekend morning for a full Irish breakfast.

160 State St. , Downtown Boston, 857-465-4100, blackroseboston. com.

Best of Boston Winner, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011

Portraits of Irish authors (including the same namesake) adorn this watering hole, as well as political and punk memorabilia worthy of a Jamaica Plain resident. The Behan has a long list of craft beers and hosts pop-up gourmet spots (Rafa the Burrito Guy, for example, looks like on Wednesdays and Saturdays) for refreshments on the front and back terraces. Inside, the cash-only bar is dark, cozy, and unpretentious, and there’s live Irish music on Saturday nights.

378 Center St. , Jamaica Plain, Boston, 617-522-5386, brendanbehanjp. com.

Irish musicians Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello founded the Burren more than 25 years ago, and since then it has been a bastion of classical music. You can watch late-night music sessions (as well as the occasional comedy or trivia) in the front and back rooms. And the extensive menu has something for everyone, adding a multitude of vegetarian options.

247 Elm Street, Davis Square, Somerville, 617-776-6896, burren. com.

There’s a sense of familiarity that permeates those two community pubs in Brighton and West Roxbury, where the roaring hearth is especially cosy in the colder months. The prime rib special, when available, is the epitome of old-fashioned prepared food, but each and every one of them Every weekday there’s a full pub food menu that’s also budget-friendly.

396 Market St. , Brighton, Boston, 617-787-0882; 2030 Center St. , West Roxbury, Boston, 617-469-4177; corribpub. com.

Best of Boston Winner, 2015

Come for the fish and chips, stick around for everything else. Whether it’s the Irish music sessions on Wednesdays and weekends, the small but mighty draft list, the friendly Irish bar staff, or the desirable banshees floating above the bar, the Druid is the ideal position to spend an afternoon or evening and feel truly transported.

1357 Cambridge St. , Inman Square, Cambridge, 617-497-0965, druidpub. com.

Best of Boston Winner, 2023

You’d think the 2022 newcomer, just steps from the Government Center’s T station, has been around forever; It’s bright and engaging, sure, but it knows how to take care of the bustling crowds as a decades-old place. Food is the star here, thanks to chef and husband Aidan McGee, who worked his way into Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain. We promise not to highlight the fish and chips in this guide, but this is another one you’ll want to try (plus, the Sunday roast). There is also live music several nights a week.

2 Center Please, Downtown Boston, 857-317-2695, thedublinerboston. com.

Best of Boston Winner, 2016 & 2022

This pub is the kind of booth where Beacon Hill lawyers like to brief over a pint once billable hours are over. But you don’t have to be among the hungry hordes after the paintings to appreciate the classic attractions and the excellent, hearty pub food, adding the shepherd’s. pie, sausages, and mash, as well as Guinness’ signature beef stew. Although there are pints here, Emmets also prides itself on its Irish coffee, which complements the dark roast coffee with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, uncooked sugar, and crème fraiche.

6 Beacon St. , Beacon Hill, Boston, 617-742-8565, emmetsirishpubandrestaurant. com.

This cozy bar, open since the 1970s, tweaks its draft beer lines with physically powerful craft beer varieties from Notch, Allagash and more, adding a perfect variety of Guinness. The only gastronomic features are the toasts. For your entertainment, there’s a fun jukebox, darts, and Irish expat regulars who are as friendly as the little bar they sit at, as well as live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

224 Market St. , Brighton, Boston, 617-787-5427, facebook. com/irishvillageboston.

Another iconic Boston bar, J. J. Foley’s has been serving pints in the South End for over a hundred years. It claims the name of the city’s oldest family-owned Irish pub. But the often-crowded status quo rests on its laurels and continues to serve better. unnecessary dishes and rotating specialties, such as poultry piccata, sausages and mashed potatoes with fried egg, and highly spiced stuffed quahogs. (There’s a younger branch of the family at the center, but never confuse them. )

117 E. Berkeley St. , South End, Boston, 617-728-0315, jjfoleyscafe. com.

This corner bar features dark woodwork, stained-glass accents, and a (often crowded) network setting you’d expect from an old-fashioned Boston Irish pub. That’s why the producers of Good Will Hunting chose to film a component of the Oscar-winning film. . there. Since March 2024, the pub has been changing hands (owners Jack and Susan Woods will be moving in after about three decades), but it is expected to “continue the traditions of the neighborhood” with a new owner.

658 E. St. , South Boston, 617-268-4335, woodyslstreet. com.

In a crowded Irish-themed bar organization in downtown Boston, Mr. Dooley’s stands out. Opened in 1991, it is the first status quo of the past John Somers, owner of Green Dragon, Paddy O’s, a South Shore Dooley’s outpost and others. He’s also a musician, so it’s only natural that Dooley’s is a favorite. position for the violinists and whistlers to sit in.

77 Broad St. , Downtown Boston, 617-338-5656, mrdooleys. com.

Admittedly, Murphy’s Law, deeper than welcoming, is still a wonderful place to grab a pint of Guinness or Smithwick. It doesn’t offer the Irish prepared food that you might find in other establishments, but it’s friendly, the game is on, and the costs are more than good. (Bring cash. ) In addition, there are darts and other entertainments.

837 Summer St. , South Boston, 617-269-6667, murphyslawbar. com.

This mainstay of Magoun Square has a lot of what you’d expect from an Irish pub: there’s Guinness beef stew, Irish poultry curry, Irish coffee made with nitro Cold Brew, and a long list of whiskeys made on the Emerald Isle. But Old Magoun’s is also a bit more trendy than most of the other places on this list and stands out as a wonderful gastropub regardless of its categorization. The wide variety of craft beers on tap pairs well with frequently changing specialties, and you shouldn’t visit them. macaroni and cheese, one of our local favorites.

518 Medford Street, Magoun Place, Somerville, 617-776-2600, magounssaloon. com.

Best of Boston Winner, 1984, 2003

Since 1969, this corner of Cambridge has been home to luminaries such as Seamus Heaney, Bonnie Raitt and Phillip Roth. One of its reasons for fame is that it is the birthplace of the quarterly literary magazine Ploughshares. These days, each and every night, it’s a casual community bar and a place to enjoy live music, a hearty meal, and a pint or three.

912 Massachusetts Ave. , Cambridge, 617-576-0032, ploughandstars. com.

From the cozy bar across the street, check out the dining room in the back, where there’s live entertainment most nights. Bartenders serve a variety of craft beers on tap, a few dozen per bottle, as well as spirits and wine, as well as the two seating areas, so service can be done without rushing. But this community pub, on the Somerville/Charlestown line, is a smart place to hide for a while.

108 Cambridge St. , Charlestown, Boston, 617-241-4999, tavernattheendoftheworld. com.

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