Best Bars in Boston

Brookline's Publick House is a true beer bar where everyone feels at home, from the 21 year old out for his first legal drink to the 90 year old beer enthusiast who is paying for it. Publick House is home to an outstanding selection of international brews, local microbrews (from the New England area), pilsners from Germany and authentic Belgian ales. Food is equally impressive here, and is reminiscent of what you'd find in Europe's trendy gastro-pubs. The scene consists of savvy locals who want a quality brew in a cool setting, like those who are devotees of home brews, and you'll certainly get what you pay for because a beer at the Publick House is not exactly cheap.

Don't be tempted by the patio seating because that is the one place you can't enjoy Grendel's cheap eats during happy hour. Instead, make your way inside and head down the stairs to one of Harvard Square's well frequented bars. Students flock to Grendel's to stretch their budget on 1/2 off menu items from 5:00 pm-7:30 pm every evening, as well as 9:00-11:30pm Sunday- Thursday. A $3 minimum drink purchase is required to cash in on these happy hour specials. And Grendel's is thrifty because your order must be in their system before the end of happy hour or you'll be paying full price so arrive early, beat the crowds and enjoy!

Walking down the street past Bukowski's Tavern, you'd probably pass up entering, but this come-as-you-are, dive is well worth a walk inside. The interior is anything but upscale, and staff more on the alternative side, but anyone who walks through these doors is welcome. The beer list is staggering with well over 100 on tap options of local and imported brews. And the the beer wheel is a fun thing to spin as long as you're willing to drink any beer on there. The clientele is friendly, you could enter alone and easily find yourself deep in conversation with whomever plops down on the stool beside you.

Take a walk from the alleyway, through the door featuring the handmade 81/2 x 11 sign that simply says backbar, down the elementary school-esque hallway and through the unmarked door into the dimly lit room buzzing with cool to enter Backbar. There you'll be met by a smiling face wearing a prohibition era outfit (gray pants and matching vest, light colored shirt and red tie). Who will guide you inside. Seating comes complete with wooden stools that look like the empty shipping crates. The clientele is more hipster than flapper and the music more 1980's than 1920's but the ice comes in chunks in the creative cocktails they serve.

Warren Tavern is an historic Charlestown bar that still hosts a cool crowd. George (Washington) and Paul (Revere) may be gone, but you are what makes Warren tavern special now. Dark wood and small rooms, invite you to feel like you have taken a step back in time and entered a watering hole from the past. But the service, election and surroundings tell you something different, because everything about being here is a modern experience. Live music pops up at Warren tavern, and Wednesdays are a hot night for locals who flock to this watering hole to enjoy the casual bar scene and above average burgers. Warren Tavern is a perfect place for an American meal or simply a pint to end your night.

Wink & Nod brings new life to the cocktail speakeasy style that was popular during Prohibition Era. Although alcohol is legal; hanging out at Wink & Nod makes you feel like you're getting away with something. Move seamlessly between the restaurant and lounge where you'll find artfully mixed drinks. Their premium spirits are only given the best of treatments utilizing fresh ingredients in place of pre-made, packaged mixes. Add to that a cool concept in dining with a rotating pop-up food program and you'll find that this lounge never gets old. Decorated with deep reds and gold, the wood and marble finishes take on warmth making Wink & Nod a warm and magical spot for lounging until 2am when they close.

The coolest bar in Boston for sports fans is the Bleacher Bar. Situated beneath the centerfield bleachers of Fenway Park, The Bleacher Bar is one of the most unique and best places in Boston to watch a game because you can actually see it through the windows that overlook the field. The best thing next to having a ticket yourself, the Bleacher Bar's small interior creates close quarters when the Red Sox are in town. But the bar is open year-round so sports fans can come to watch any game or just enjoy the view. The Bleacher Bar has a small menu of burger, snacks, hot and cold sandwiches, soups, salads, and sweets so you can spend the entire 9 innings watching the Red Sox if you wish.

When you're tired of the same old cocktails, know what you like, but are not sure what it is called, make your way to Drink. The expert mixologists at Drink are here to help. Not your usual bartenders, Drink only hires those who know more than 100 cocktails by heart. No written menu is listed and brand names are nixed in favor of finding you something that is really good that you may have overlooked if actually offered. Simply describe your desires and rather than pouring typical libations from a plethora of ready made mixes, the bartenders here use their imaginations and your personal preferences, along with fresh fruits, potted herbs and hard-to-come-by ingredients, to concoct custom drinks. In addition to their noteworthy cocktails, Drink also has a solid selection of appetizers.

Legal Harborside Floor 3 is a rooftop lounge with a retractable roof that makes it a perfect place to spend a warm summer night sipping cocktails, or a cold winter one watching ships pass by below. With a very limited menu, it is best to find your meal elsewhere (the first floor perhaps) but ideal for a little nibble. This hotspot gets packed almost every night, and is a good spot to meet locals. No worries, when the roof goes up the fun does not end; views of the water remain amazing, and the crowds barely dwindle as most of the fun is from the crowd within.