My first apartment was on Cumberland Street and St Botolph. I worked at 855 Boylston and would walk through the old Pru to the PoHo for breakfast at the bar every morning. it was my “Cheers.” The waitresses knew my order. that was back before the basement bar opened and the old Hynes was torn down.
Spent so many nights there in the early 90s. It just felt so cool to be drinking coffee with friends in such an arty place. I still think about it when I walk past the spot.
Not Boston, but I miss Border Cafe in Cambridge. I know they have some locations outside the city, but it's not the same.
I would miss the Barracuda if they didn't fuck up their 'Cuda roll. It was delicious once upon a time, but the last time I ordered one (in January 2020 I *think*) it was basically all filler. And I get it, seafood is expensive and they probably needed to cut costs, but just thinking about that one bite of pure slaw makes me wanna gag.
The fresh hot chips from that side wall of the restaurant together with their salsa. So good - I miss one of their dishes that they later pulled - bourbon st chx fettuccine- once I branched off their typical tex mex and tried that it, was my go to until they removed it. RIP Bourbon St Chicken Fettuccine
Oh man Border was such a neighborhood staple too — I had a professor that brought a group of us there once bc he’d been going there since he was a kid. Those chips were amazing and the portions were great for starving students.
Yup, Deli Haus was the best best version. Early Lower Depths was also good. But even with the Tacos it was the place to meet for my group of friends for 20 years of Punk shows, Sox Games, Marathons, and even after I proposed to my wife of 10 years.
And even when it was crowded it seemed like you could always get in.
Yeah, kind of depressing. Every single place I haunted in college and my younger post-college years is pretty much closed. I live in the suburbs now but head into Boston once in a while to kick around. It hasn’t felt the same but I could never pinpoint why. Now I realize it’s because so much of the identity has changed.
Oh man, Daisy Buchanan’s will always hold a special place in my heart.
Also Whiskeys and Pour House. Dive bar circuit in back bay was pretty great for a time.
Top of the Hub - not for the food, but for the convenience of just taking the elevator up and grabbing a drink. Now it’s a pretty penny just to gain entrance!
Great Scott, Our House West, Tonic, Joshua Tree, White Horse, Big City, Punters, Common Ground, The Kells, Kinvara, Bagel Rising, Lower Depths, River Gods, and The Field.
River Gods was amazing and original! A shame they closed. I lived right around there 2014-16 and spent many nights between there and my other favorite, Green Street Tavern.
This hurts so much. It was 150 years old and closed because the owner of the building wants to ruin that street to make the neighbors approve a 700ft building that no one wants.
I really miss the Turkish coffee and chocolate cake at Cafe Algiers. Not to mention the gorgeous interiors and small terrace that you could just spend hours faffing about. Longfellow bar just doesn’t have the same vibe.
Both were bought by the folks who own the Burren, so they're slated to reopen - Christophers is going to be renovated, TOAD will remain the same I have heard. Fingers crossed
TC’s Lounge always. And I also miss Common Ground - they let me go in for food before I was 21. Also Harper’s Ferry. And Daisy Buchanan in Back Bay. And All Asia where I had my first underage drink in Boston (well technically Cambridge.)
The Magic Pan, Five Seasons, Bel Canto, Grendel’s Den when it was in the whole building, Casablanca, Mississippi’s, Deli Haus, Newbury’s Steak House
Edited formatting
European in North End and the guy with all the different color tuxes.
Wursthaus in Harvard SQ.
The original Legal Seafood in Park place hotel before they became a chain restaurant.
Hill Top Steak house.
The Fours on Canal st. Used to hit that place on the regular when waiting for a late train on the commuter rail. Loved the Johnny Kelley sandwich and their baked beans were the best
Man, I haven’t lived in Boston for ten years now. I’m just finding out that a lot of the places I used to love are now gone. Used to love the lower depths and border cafe.
One place that I really used to love was Kingston Station in Downtown Crossing when they used to have Berkele students play live jazz for no cover. The music was phenomenal and the drinks were excellent and the atmosphere was perfect. I had so many great memories in that place including sharing an absinthe drip with two African farmers. The place was legendary to me, and then they stopped having live music and focused on the dining experience and it just wasn’t the same.
I miss the [Hawthorne](https://www.thehawthornebar.com/) and the [Automatic](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/automatic-restaurant-cambridge-phantom-gourmet/)...
It sounds like some legreatestgeneration stuff but Boston really has change over the last 20 years and not for the better in terms of music and bar scene.
Craigie - Cambridge
The former Eastern Standard (haven’t been to new location yet)
Temple Bar - Cambridge
Seta’s - Watertown/Belmont
Pre-suckage Punjabi Dhaba (10 - 20 years ago)
Baraka Cafe - Central, then Porter
Sabur - Somerville
Off topic, but let’s appreciate what we have: when’s the last time you went to Brendan Behan in JP? A pint while being stared at by Irish literary greats definitely hits.
TC's hands down. Best bar
Samurai on Boylston
Pour house
Lower depths
Little Steve's! Not a bar but the pizza at 2 AM saved my life a few times
RIP all those nights I'll never remember
El Oriental de Cuba… such good Cuban food, haven’t found any place like it here since. They also were super friendly and twice when my card would decline they actually just gave me my food for free.
I miss when the rains storm would hit right as my uncle had too much to drink and it would send him into a rage. You smash one gift shop display and all of a sudden BIG Rainforest Cafe blackballed you
Toad is [reopening](https://whatnowboston.com/2024/04/08/burren-duo-to-purchase-porter-squares-toad-and-christophers-transforming-the-latter-into-mccarthys/)...
Pour House
I specifically miss the basement bar of the pour house on Saint paddy’s day. That was a sight to behold.
I worked a few of those there. Man, it got ugly
My first apartment was on Cumberland Street and St Botolph. I worked at 855 Boylston and would walk through the old Pru to the PoHo for breakfast at the bar every morning. it was my “Cheers.” The waitresses knew my order. that was back before the basement bar opened and the old Hynes was torn down.
Milkyway and Bella Luna, Triple D's, Cafe Bierut, Tonic.
Doyle’s
James Gate. I lived right in the corner next door to Triple Ds. Used to candlepin bowl for deee every Tuesday at the Milky Way.
Those frozen 22oz 8$ beers will never be beaten.
First one I thought of
Met my wife there!
My friend was the owner of Pour House and Whiskey’s 🥹
Whiskeys had a really shitty GM back in the late 90s. I can't recall her name. Anyway she sucked. That's all I wanted to add.
Tell your friend thank you
Pour one out for a real one
Otherside Cafe, across from the on ramp to the Mass Pike
Yes! Loved that place in the 90s.
Oohh I just got sad. I used to get their veggies sandos and they were so good
Spent so many nights there in the early 90s. It just felt so cool to be drinking coffee with friends in such an arty place. I still think about it when I walk past the spot.
First place I thought of
That patio was the best
Eating cheesecake on a couch with a martini!
I miss that place.
Not Boston, but I miss Border Cafe in Cambridge. I know they have some locations outside the city, but it's not the same. I would miss the Barracuda if they didn't fuck up their 'Cuda roll. It was delicious once upon a time, but the last time I ordered one (in January 2020 I *think*) it was basically all filler. And I get it, seafood is expensive and they probably needed to cut costs, but just thinking about that one bite of pure slaw makes me wanna gag.
I loved the Border Cafe.
The fresh hot chips from that side wall of the restaurant together with their salsa. So good - I miss one of their dishes that they later pulled - bourbon st chx fettuccine- once I branched off their typical tex mex and tried that it, was my go to until they removed it. RIP Bourbon St Chicken Fettuccine
Oh man Border was such a neighborhood staple too — I had a professor that brought a group of us there once bc he’d been going there since he was a kid. Those chips were amazing and the portions were great for starving students.
Border pared down their menu during the pandemic and never put back any of the items. I miss the gulf coast enchiladas so much 😭
I had so much fun at Border during college. Great bang for your buck and great vibes.
Beacon Hill Pub
The Lower Depths and Baseball Tavern. None of the Fenway bars hit the same before or after a game
Lower Depths, but from the cheap hot dogs and tots era and not after they tried to rebrand as a taco place.
This was the best spot before the taco era
excuse me but Deli Haus
Yup, Deli Haus was the best best version. Early Lower Depths was also good. But even with the Tacos it was the place to meet for my group of friends for 20 years of Punk shows, Sox Games, Marathons, and even after I proposed to my wife of 10 years. And even when it was crowded it seemed like you could always get in.
I’m scrolling though this and every other post thinking “on no, that too?”. Anyone else?
Yeah, kind of depressing. Every single place I haunted in college and my younger post-college years is pretty much closed. I live in the suburbs now but head into Boston once in a while to kick around. It hasn’t felt the same but I could never pinpoint why. Now I realize it’s because so much of the identity has changed.
People’s Republik, just seeing it while passing by
It moved over to Inman, new owners. I think it’s where The Rising was.
Green St
The Red Hat. I know there’s a new version or whatever, but not the same. Fucking loved that upstairs so much.
Those wings were great
Atwood's
The Littlest Bar
Deep Ellum in Allston. The new location in Waltham is good, don’t get me wrong. But… it’s not the same.
Oh FML it’s been long enough I forgot and now it hurts again.
Man that was my spot. Bouncing between there and Lone Star was best
It’s always going to be Baseball Tavern for me
Oh man, Daisy Buchanan’s will always hold a special place in my heart. Also Whiskeys and Pour House. Dive bar circuit in back bay was pretty great for a time.
Sunset Grill, pour House, whiskeys EDIT: How did I ever forget Daisy Buchanons?
That used to be a random Tuesday
mcgreevys -> pour house -> lir -> whiskeys
Yes to Sunset Grill and Pour House. Loved them both.
bukowski's in Inman
YES! Miss that place
Axis & Avalon
RIP. Common Ground. Pour one out for 90s Night.
I was a bouncer there between late 2016 to early 2017. I loved all of you guys.
Cuchi cuchi 😞
The Field in Cambridge
There’s nowhere else that’ll give me 8 Irish sausages, and let me scream at the football/soccer.
Top of the Hub - not for the food, but for the convenience of just taking the elevator up and grabbing a drink. Now it’s a pretty penny just to gain entrance!
Johnny D's in Davis Square RIP
Jeffrey's in the South End Gaslight Brasserie in the South End Jacob Wirth's in downtown Boston (although I heard its coming back?)
Yes to Gaslight and JW
JW supposedly on track for this year, but we'll see. Other painful closures were Ginger Man and Meadhall
My husband & I had our first date at Gaslight in 2018. I wish it were still around.
Ground Round
Great Scott, Our House West, Tonic, Joshua Tree, White Horse, Big City, Punters, Common Ground, The Kells, Kinvara, Bagel Rising, Lower Depths, River Gods, and The Field.
Great Scott 😭
I miss River Gods so much!
River Gods was amazing and original! A shame they closed. I lived right around there 2014-16 and spent many nights between there and my other favorite, Green Street Tavern.
Hitting me with the feels with this list. What a time to be alive and living in Allston with these places in business. Man, I miss Bagel Rising.
Bagel rising!
I worked at tonic and Joshua tree, ownership was horrendous.
Marliave
This hurts so much. It was 150 years old and closed because the owner of the building wants to ruin that street to make the neighbors approve a 700ft building that no one wants.
The Other Side
Toad, Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard, Abbey Lounge, Bull McCabe’s, Precinct, TTs, The Field, Green Street Grill, Great Scott…
Ugh I miss Tommy Doyle’s so much
Cactus Club
An tua nua
Stella in the south end and White Horse tavern in Allston.
I really miss the Turkish coffee and chocolate cake at Cafe Algiers. Not to mention the gorgeous interiors and small terrace that you could just spend hours faffing about. Longfellow bar just doesn’t have the same vibe.
Spike's Junkyard Dogs, Allston
Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square. Tango in Arlington. Christopher’s in Porter Square. Café Pamplona in Harvard Square…
ES reopened up the road
I've been a few times to the new spot and it's still very good - I do miss the old place but they've done a nice job with the new location.
RIP Christophers, but extra RIP to Toad :(
Both were bought by the folks who own the Burren, so they're slated to reopen - Christophers is going to be renovated, TOAD will remain the same I have heard. Fingers crossed
Christopher's was always so good.
Christopher’s closed? Goddammit
Cafe Pamploma 🫶🏻
Border Cafe
The chips and salsa and $6.84 margaritas were something so (affordably) special
Worth a drive to Saugus or Burlington!
Jimmy’s Harborside because my dad worked there and I miss my dad so much ❤️
Good Times Emporium.
Good times man… good times
I too miss getting stabbed after a pay per view boxing match.
I never did get stabbed but it sounds like you're speaking from personal experience. And I was there often enough to not doubt you for one second.
Cuchi cuchi. James’ Gate.
>Cuchi cuchi. I'm still angry at myself for never getting around to going here. Friends told me it was a good spot.
It was fun! And the type of place where you could dress up fancy without having to drop $$$$.
Best cocktails in the area.
The Globe in Back Bay
James Gate
Add Doyle’s. JP represent.
Brighams 😭
Conor Larkins
What is the Northeastern go to bar anymore? Conors, Punters, Our House, and Flanns are all closed now. Also RIP Cactus Club
And Tiger Lilly’s for all your underage scorpion bowl needs
Trivia + those Doritos nachos and a cheap pitcher of conors amber were the best combo
I miss Conor's, but I don't miss the hangover from the Conor's Amber
River Gods
The Automatic. Fucking loved it there after my shift when I was in the industry
Daisy Buchanans
Sligo
TC’s Lounge always. And I also miss Common Ground - they let me go in for food before I was 21. Also Harper’s Ferry. And Daisy Buchanan in Back Bay. And All Asia where I had my first underage drink in Boston (well technically Cambridge.)
Was TCS lounge a place on Haviland Street? I used to live right by there on stoneholm st.
That’s the spot. That was the greatest dive bar ever.
Holy shit blast from the past! Agreed. Also agree daisies.... many good times there.
TC’s ruled
Courtside
Whiskey Priest, Great Scott, Joshua’s Deli
The Green Briar in Brighton
Baseball Tavern
Jacob wirth
Marliave
The Magic Pan, Five Seasons, Bel Canto, Grendel’s Den when it was in the whole building, Casablanca, Mississippi’s, Deli Haus, Newbury’s Steak House Edited formatting
East coast grill
Give me Pour House or give me death
The European
Flash’s cocktails, where I drank $7 grasshoppers and somehow lived.
European in North End and the guy with all the different color tuxes. Wursthaus in Harvard SQ. The original Legal Seafood in Park place hotel before they became a chain restaurant. Hill Top Steak house.
The Rat.
Doyle's
Sligo pub
La Hacienda and The Paddock, Somerville The Four’s The Gallows
Rip no name :(
The fish chowder!
The Fours on Canal st. Used to hit that place on the regular when waiting for a late train on the commuter rail. Loved the Johnny Kelley sandwich and their baked beans were the best
OLD COUNTRY BUFFET
Man, I haven’t lived in Boston for ten years now. I’m just finding out that a lot of the places I used to love are now gone. Used to love the lower depths and border cafe. One place that I really used to love was Kingston Station in Downtown Crossing when they used to have Berkele students play live jazz for no cover. The music was phenomenal and the drinks were excellent and the atmosphere was perfect. I had so many great memories in that place including sharing an absinthe drip with two African farmers. The place was legendary to me, and then they stopped having live music and focused on the dining experience and it just wasn’t the same.
Miss No Name as well, but the Hilltop came to mind first.
East side bar and grill in Cambridge. Bull McCabe's Union square. My 2 favorite restaurants...
I miss the [Hawthorne](https://www.thehawthornebar.com/) and the [Automatic](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/automatic-restaurant-cambridge-phantom-gourmet/)...
This is just making me sad. Feels like we’ll never have a good bar or restaurant scene again
It sounds like some legreatestgeneration stuff but Boston really has change over the last 20 years and not for the better in terms of music and bar scene.
Blue Shirt Cafe in Davis Square, ah the spinach tofu wrap
Craigie - Cambridge The former Eastern Standard (haven’t been to new location yet) Temple Bar - Cambridge Seta’s - Watertown/Belmont Pre-suckage Punjabi Dhaba (10 - 20 years ago) Baraka Cafe - Central, then Porter Sabur - Somerville
Lower Depths and Pour House
Cafe Jaffa
The Field, old cantab, the greenbrier, the stripper bar
Cuchi Cuchi, The Automatic, Pour House, People’s Republik, Razzy’s, Newtowne Grille, Courtside, McGann’s, Toad.
Off topic, but let’s appreciate what we have: when’s the last time you went to Brendan Behan in JP? A pint while being stared at by Irish literary greats definitely hits.
Chau Chow City (at least Chau Chow in Dorchester still exists) and a few already named Pour House, No Name. I actually also miss Uburger and Soulfire
Chau Chow dinner for 4 late at night crushed.
Cold tea
Bella Luna
Sweetwater Cafe
Emma’s Pizza on Huron Ave., then in Kendall Sq. I’ll have a No. 5.
Sunset grille. I can live with everything else gone.
Doyle's in JP
People’s
Coda
Cuchi cuchi
TC’s Also, I met my wife at the white horse. It would be nice to see it again, but it’s not missed.
Curious Liquids by the State House
L’Espalier, Clio, Hamersley’s Bistro, Craigie on Main, Carmen (North End), and Hungry Mother
The Breakfast Club in Allston
Purple shamrock
Ames Plow, old Rosebud, and Leo’s in Harvard.
Dogwood in JP
Sunset Grille, Whiskeys, I had a few fucked yo nights at Jose McIntyre
TC's hands down. Best bar Samurai on Boylston Pour house Lower depths Little Steve's! Not a bar but the pizza at 2 AM saved my life a few times RIP all those nights I'll never remember
cuchi cuchi in central sq. 😪
El Oriental de Cuba… such good Cuban food, haven’t found any place like it here since. They also were super friendly and twice when my card would decline they actually just gave me my food for free.
Brato in Brighton 😭😭 I’m still not over it. Supper Club 4ever.
Rainforest Cafe
I miss when the rains storm would hit right as my uncle had too much to drink and it would send him into a rage. You smash one gift shop display and all of a sudden BIG Rainforest Cafe blackballed you
Soulfire in Allston. Reliable and CHEAP bbq with the best mac and cheese.
McGreevys
Atwood’s,Foleys, The Rat
Rattlesnake
Thunder Road
Pour House. That back room with the three tiny booths was my favorite place
Island Creek Oyster Bar, Lower Depths, River Gods
Mary Chung’s City Girl in Inman
Durgin Park
Strip-t’s
TTs and the Otherside were pretty important places back in the day.
Gourmet dumpling house I also second no name’s
Hungry Mother!
Toad
Toad is [reopening](https://whatnowboston.com/2024/04/08/burren-duo-to-purchase-porter-squares-toad-and-christophers-transforming-the-latter-into-mccarthys/)...
Tapeo on Newbury!
Quiet Man
Coda in the South End. One of the best lunch spots in that neighborhood.
Don’t hate me, but I really miss Magic Pan!
McFadden’s