The Best Craft Beer Bars in Boston

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” is an oft-misquoted derivative of something Benjamin Franklin once said or wrote. But sayings need not be accurate if they’re truthful. The early publick houses of colonial Boston served as the catalyst of the American Revolution. Some 200-plus years later, Boston was again at the forefront of a revolution: craft beer. While there may be fewer powdered wigs in present-day Boston’s pubs and bars, there’s no less rabble-rousing and, more importantly, much better beer. The following list of Boston’s best beer bars provides all the necessary evidence you’ll need to prove the veracity of old Ben’s adage. –Vinny Mannering

  • 1

    Bukowski's Tavern

    Named for the man who launched as many cheap imitators as Hunter S. Thompson, Bukowski's Tavern is Boston's O.G. craft beer bar. Boasting 21 taps and an expansive bottle selection, Buk's copious beer options would make its namesake proud. The atmosphere and décor are hipster-kitsch right down to the Wheel of Beer (think Wheel of Fortune, but, you know—beer), but much like the man himself, Bukowski's is rough around the edges in the best possible way.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 2

    Deep Ellum

    Deep Ellum is a craft beer oasis in the heart of Allston Rat City—a major college neighborhood. While you'll find plenty of the newly-21 crowd milling about, Deep Ellum manages to remain relatively exempt from the co-ed influx. (Key word: relatively.) Still, the menu of classic cocktails and an impressive bottle list—which balances near and far breweries—has everything you'd want in an unlikely craft beer bar in the heart of frat land.  

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 3

    Local 149

    If everything you know about Southie you learned from Ben Affleck movies, you need to take a trip down to Local 149. While South Boston has—deservedly—garnered a reputation as a tough and rugged neighborhood, recent gentrification has spurred an influx of young professionals and, with them, more upscale American restaurants like Local 149. In addition to a fine beer list—sporting 24 draft lines—Local 149 has some of the best casual food (chicken and waffles are a must) in the southern end of the city.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 4

    Lord Hobo

    Lord Hobo may not have the most beers around (though 40 draft lines is hardly anything to balk at), but they do have the best curated list in the greater Boston area, and arguably most of New England. With rare beers you won't find anywhere else in the city, the place is generally crowded with hardcore beer geeks, but the scene is still open and inviting.  

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 5

    Porter Café

    Porter Café is in West Roxbury, and that's probably why you haven't been there. This suburb's only mass-transit connection to downtown is via the commuter rail, but if you've got a car (or a suitably high tolerance for riding the bus), Porter is definitely worth the hike. A neighborhood bar comprised almost solely of locals, the bar boasts the finest beer selection on the western side of Boston. Small and relaxed, this is the kind of bar you'll wish was within walking distance of your home.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 6

    Stoddard's Fine Food and Ales

    Stoddard's is a top-notch beer bar with a touch of Boston history. Located in one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire of 1872, the bar was formerly Chandler's Corset Store, which Stoddard's pays homage to via a display of encased corsets above the dining area. With exposed brick walls, an ornately carved wooden bar area, copper ceiling and indoor streetlamps, Stoddard's feels like a classic speakeasy. And while beer is the main draw, the talented bar staff also sling fantastic craft cocktails to pair with a solid menu of refined drinking food.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
    • historic
    • craft cocktails
  • 7

    Sunset Bar & Grille

    With 113 taps (yes, 113) and 380 bottle and can options, Sunset Bar & Grille is home to the largest beer selection in the city. Despite its pedigree, however, Sunset remains casual and unpretentious reminder that even fancy beer is still just beer. The proliferation of college students proves this point, but the cozy atmosphere, which is studded with an assortment of antique bar paraphernalia, remains remarkably civilized.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 8

    The Lower Depths

    If you replaced the tap handles with a short-order grill, The Lower Depths might easily double as a diner. This cash only, basement-level establishment features 15 draft lines (and occasionally a cask), as well as a specialty and rare bottle list. The comfortable atmosphere pairs well with a menu of solid comfort food classics like tater tots, hot dogs and “grown-up” grilled cheese. If you're near Fenway, this is far and away the best beer bar in the area.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu
  • 9

    The Publick House

    The Publick House has racked up numerous awards including “Best Beer Bar in America” from Beer Advocate and “Best Bar in Boston” by the Boston Globe and Phoenix. And, according to Food & Wine magazine, it also has some of the best mac & cheese in the U.S. The 16 draft lines include primarily Belgian and Belgian-style beers (mostly from America), along with a solid list of bottle offerings, including beers from Boston's terrific Trillum Brewing.

    MORE INFO →

    KNOWN FOR

    • craft beer
    • full menu