Best of Boston

Best Irish Pub

Overhead view of a large portion of fried haddock atop thick steak fries. Three small cups are on the side—one with peas, the other two with sauces.
2023 Best Irish Pub

The Dubliner

Downtown
Irish cuisine in America has long been stuck in a pub-food rut, despite Ireland’s steady evolution into a destination for European fare. Chef Aidan McGee, [...] read more»
2022 Best Irish Pub

Emmets Irish Pub & Restaurant

Boston
Sorry, shamrock-covered Southie, but Boston’s best spot to enjoy Guinness in a pint — or in a spiked-broth onion soup, or in a beer-braised-beef stew [...] read more»
2016 Best Irish Pub

Emmet’s Irish Pub

Boston
In a sea of paint-by-numbers, pseudo-Irish pubs, Emmet’s abstains from the usual kitsch. No bric-a-brac-cluttered curio shelves here, just Beacon Hill lawyers enjoying a fantastic Guinness [...] read more»
2015 Best Irish Pub

The Druid

Cambridge
Within the enormous spectrum of Irish-ish spots in Boston, what ultimately sets the Druid apart is its unwavering commitment to the basics (a perfectly poured [...] read more»
2014 Best Irish Pub

Phoenix Landing

Cambridge
Discussions of Boston’s Irish pubs typically involve squirrely notions of authenticity. The problem is, no such thing exists, and most attempts ring about as true [...] read more»
2013 Best Irish Pub

James’s Gate

Jamaica Plain
The main purpose of a pub (besides offering good beer, of course) is to unite folks of all ages and backgrounds in a welcoming, laid-back [...] read more»
2012 Best Irish Pub

James’s Gate

Jamaica Plain
Plenty of the Irish pubs around here are just poseurs where jersey-clad dudes bro out with a bottle of Bud. For the real deal, it's [...] read more»
2011 Best Irish Pub

Brendan Behan Pub

Jamaica Plain
Far too many of our Irish pubs cater to students, putting flat-screens on the walls and wings on the menu. Suddenly you're not in a [...] read more»
2010 Best Irish Pub

The Squealing Pig

Boston
With so many excellent Irish pubs in Boston, it's tough to stand out. The Pig, however, is where to go when you want to feel [...] read more»
2009 Best Irish Pub

The Squealing Pig

Boston
Around these parts, the authentic Irish pub is an expectation, not a novelty. Which means there's a full-on scrum of contenders in this category—the Sligo, [...] read more»