This Saturday I plan on doing a NY to MA beer run, with a possible Red Sox game at night, so my question is, which bars should i be hitting up for good local beer and are there any good, affordable hotels in the area, because i do not want to drive back to NY that night.
Yard House on Brookline Ave near Fenway. 45 or so taps, great selection. BA Framinghammer, St. Bernardus 12 both were sipped on Opening Day this year. Good times. I also don't mind Boston Beer Works for what it is, damn good location and decent (but definitely not special) beers.
Its great that the Yard House is pouring some locals and different stuff but the service there sucks compared to other locations. They can't even keep the bathrooms clean when they are busy ... almost slipped on piss twice. Check out Lower Depths (cash only), Eastern Standard, Beer Works & Bukowski's Tavern (cash only) which is a little be closer to town. As for hotels, it is probably the worst time price-wise to stay in Boston ... you might have to priceline it and hope for the best.
Citizen Public House, Sweet Cheeks and Tasty Burger on Boylston St. (behind the first base line) and Island Creek Oyster Bar, Eastern Standard, and Cornwall's in Kenmore Square all will have something good to eat and good beer to drink, albeit not as many options as Yard House or Lower Depths. There are no good, affordable hotels in Boston - you can have good, you can maybe find affordable, but never both.
I typically hit up Yard House as it is the first option from where I park. If you are there pretty early before the game (about 2 hours in advance) you should be fine service-wise, but as you can see from Jason's description YMMV. If not selecting a chalkboard offering I am happy with a few pints of Be Hoppy. The BA Framinghammer noted above was probably a limited offering as I have never seen this on tap, but there are plenty of other stout options like Old Rasputin. After the game on a Saturday it will be a madhouse though, I always see huge lines walking past there. From the Copley/downtown direction, my choice would probably be Bukowski.
Lower Depths is great but I've heard some here suggest that it can be hipsterish, so if you're unsettled or disturbed by dudes with fanciful facial hair and undersized t-shirts you might want to go somewhere else (and you might want to stop drinking so much or you'll soon find that all your t-shirts are undersized). I've never personally encountered any kind of hipper-than-thou or otherwise condescending treatment there, though, so the hipster claim may be overblown. Or maybe my ability to read social cues just sucks. A fine alternative for beer and food is Cornwalls, right across Kenmore Square (and a few doors down from the Citgo sign). Somewhat more mainstream vibe, laid-back, friendly staff, and I must say that for a pub that doesn't advertise itself as a craft beer destination, they've always got great stuff on tap from here and elsewhere. I used to work next door to Cornwalls and I miss it a lot.
...or if you're willing to walk 15-20 mins (or drive 5 and spend 15-20 trying to park) there's the Publick House and Sunset Grill & Tap
Walking from Fenway to Publick House, Sunset Grill, Deep Ellum is ~40 mins. (The T would get you there in 20+. Note: The T gets pretty crowded before/after Sox games.) You could actually walk to Lord Hobo or CBC in about 40 mins, too. So, it kind of depends where you are staying. Near Fenway, my go-tos are Lower Depths and Yard House.
Went to yard house last year before a game on a Saturday afternoon. Great time there, full of Sox fans having a good time. Also, had my first taste of be hoppy, fresh on draft into a half-yard mmmmmm. Hoping they still have that available next month when I go
