Boston Trip - Downtown Crossing

You should slap whoever recommended the Cheers bar.

 

Definitely check out Row 34. It's not directly in your area, but it has the most interesting beer options and great food. It's in the Fort Point area, a short Uber drive and right near the water, a great view for a visitor! The last 2 times I went they had Cantillon, if that should sway you!

 

For right directly in your area, Soddards and the Merchant usually have pretty good tap lists, both expensive though.

 

Would also recommend Stoddards. Routinely have something interesting on tap and always have a cask pouring. You are also close to Yvonne’s. Great drink program going on over there (in addition to great food). Ginger man isn’t too far and might be worth a peek at their tap list to see if anything catches your eye

 

Another vote for Stoddard's here. In addition to a good list it's got a cool older school vibe as well. Half decent food too.

If you make it out to the Constitution, you'll be very close to Brewer's Fork which has great pizza and a great taplist. Since you like history you might enjoy the Bunker Hill monument nearby too.

They won't have much for beer, but if you like classic cocktails don't sleep on the bar at the Omni Parker House (the big one by the front door). It feels like the sort of place Don Draper might have hung out at and they'll keep filling a delicious bowl of free hot mixed nuts in front of you all night long.

 

Not a beer spot really, but the Last Hurrah at the Omni Parker is a cool bar with a great whiskey list. You sometimes have to ask about bottles not listed on the menu, just need to spot them behind the bar.

For beer, I also like Stoddards nearby. Tip Tap Room and Row 34 tend to have the geekiest/trendiest lists, with prices to match.

 

It's only a 15-20 minute walk from the Parker House.

 

Row34 is definitely the best mix of amazing tap list and incredible food but don't expect anything but a huge crowd/long wait, especially on a weekend. Easy to spend a small fortune here but always worth it.

Highly recommend Gingerman due to the number and quality of taps and how close it is to you.

Stoddards is a solid choice but check their draft list before you go. They don't have the largest selection and it can be hit or miss. Great history like mentioned (if I remember right they share the building's history on the menu).

Definitely Brewers Fork if you're seeing the Constitution. Always a great tap list.

 

Last Hurrah (hotel bar) will also serve you a Boston creme pie (invented at the hotel) as well Parker House rolls (also invented there). Nice slice of Boston history without the tourists.

 

And Ho Chi Minh and Malcolm X both worked there at one point. Quite a bit of history in that place.

 

I worked catty-corner across the street from it but that doesn't get as much attention.

 

Take the green line c train towards Cleveland circle to Washington square in Brookline and eat at The Publick House. Their tap list is top notch and the food is too! My favorite bar in my neighborhood.

 

City Tap House across from Trillium has a solid tap list

 

NO NO NO Cheers!.....If you're over at Trillium, Row 34, Fort Point Market for a bottle shop
and for a cocktail "Drink"

 

Not sure if you're already aware of this, but if you want to see anything at Trillium other than a retail counter selling you cans, you have to go to Canton (or I guess now the Roslindale indoor beer garden for drafts).

If you're into art museums, the MFA has a good collection and the Gardner is kind of neat to check out as well. From there you could walk across the fens park to Citizen's Oyster House which has a cool vibe and a small beer list, but they do have taps from mikkeler and Barrel House Z. Or if you want to go to a really local place, you could go up the street to Penguin Pizza, which has a pretty lengthy beer list. Bukowskis is also in the general area and has a lot of good beer choices.

 

If you are bringing stuff home, I think Fort Point Market is a must if you end up going to Trillium in Fort Point

 

Has anybody been to the Tip Tap Room? It's a fairly short walk from Tremont and Beacon down Cambridge Street (past the Kinsale, an Irish pub on steroids, for those who can tolerate such things). I think I remember that location having been a gay bar when I worked at One Beacon and then maybe a Chinese restaurant? I haven't been, but a friend had suggested meeting up there recently. Nice looking tap list - maybe on the pricey side? but probably no worse than Row 34.

 

I didn't particularly like Tip Tap but I could see how someone else would. It felt crowded in a particularly crowded way (something about the layout I guess) and the beer seemed expensive even against the expected expensive baseline in Boston (just when you thought you found something decently priced it turned out to only be 10 or 12 ounces).

They did have a good tap variety though and the space feels fairly new and shiny, so at a minimum it's worth meeting up once with your friend to see what you think.