I've been to this bar many times over the years, but lately they're taking their "surly" service a step too far. Tonight the waitress mocked my friend behind his back after he ordered his beer. Next, she went out of her way to let me know that I was wrong about the icy lettuce they served in my fried chicken wrap. Thanks for the overpriced beers and lecture!! I get shit on daily working as a high school teacher, so no I won't be back to spend my night off with your juvenile servers. read more

Ah yes, The Great Bukowski Tavern of Boston, where the moment you enter, you feel entirely unwelcome. Like many bars in Boston, Bukowski is compact with very little space. It's situated in the armpit of a concrete parking garage, with a giant, brightly-lit BUKOWSKI sign painted above the entrance. It almost feels like a tourist trap until you walk through the door. Alas, this is no tourist trap. While heading home after a night on Boylston Street, our group wanted to stop for one last beer. If several additional customers in the bar was going to be an issue, the bouncer outside had every right to ask us to try again another night. But here we were, walking past a bar filled with regulars all staring us down and murmuring things like "what the hell is this?", and "where the f**k are these guys going?" After the barrage of eye darts, and with most of our group seated in the back, 3 of us huddled near the bar to order beers. It was readily obvious that the bartender was beyond annoyed about a bunch of non-regulars walking in. He refused to accommodate any request and every question was met with an unsolicited poor attitude. On our $40 beer order, we left a $2 tip to match the bartender's garbage service. After all, he pulled 10 drafts and hated every second of it. This $2 tip was immediately returned to us, with the bartender telling us to f**ck off and one patron calling us a**holes. Nevertheless, we brushed off the verbal assault and took our seats to sip our $4 PBR's and ponder our regrettable choice of bars. To top it all off, the floor server offered last call orders to every table around us - except for ours. It was obvious that our presence was undesirable to every person in the place. Ostracized and ridiculed, we began making our way out of the bar. This is when the ponytailed Hero Patron who called us a**holes earlier, stood up and blocked our path from leaving, attempting to "educate us on how to tip on $40." Being one of the more sober in my group, I made my way to the front of the blockade to confront said Hero Patron. After a semi-heated exchange, describing in detail how poorly we were treated upon entering, and asking Hero Patron to explain how our group was in the wrong, I was met with a blank stare - and then more insults. That's when we walked out, being called "a bunch of a**holes" by a few more nebbish passive-aggressives. WORD OF CAUTION: Bukowski serves a very specific clientele. It's for the young black leather jacket types who need to toil hard in their angst, hating the world and everything in it. If you are not of the alt-left/grunge/punk/rage/emo faction, consider patronizing another bar. Do not come here. This bar is for them, and no one else. read more

In Boston on business trip Great dive bar! Beer and wine only but a great choice of beers. Food is good, had the grilled brat. This is. A great place with friendly service and a cool atmosphere! read more

This place has got real character. Loud rock/alternative music, wide selection of draught beers, and comfort food. FYI, this place is cash only. But totally fun. read more

Bukowski Tavern - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Bukowski Tavern is simply rather special. The ambiance is really nice. Team is incredibly friendly and will certainly help you with anything. Pretty much every item that we have purchased was incredibly fresh and tasty. Always a favorite. read more

I'm old! I get that. This is the hipster equivalent of a dive bar. The dive bars I went to as a 21 yo(or as a 5 yo w/ dad, or as an 18 yo underage) was nothing like this. Great draught and bottle/can list, two small tv's, but the cook is still in the window! I don't know the coffeehouse music, but I don't mind. Maybe I'm not so old at heart. This place is great! From the cash only policy, to the daily special list. This place is great! read more

Was staying in Copley Square for a conference and Yelped "best craft beer" bar. A brisk 10 minute walk up Boylston and a left on Dalton and all I saw was a bridge and parking garage. It better be here, I thought, given the fact that I spent 20 minutes looking for Legal Seafoods in the mall the previous day. Ah, there it is, a tiny joint tucked into the 90-side of the parking garage. I walked in fairly early, a little before 9pm. Upon entering, there's a few small unoccupied (tiny) tables against the wall. Since I'm alone, I opt for the lone space at the crowded bar. I notice the nods to Bukowski throughout. Bartender brings me a beer menu. I take a peek and then ask for recommendations. The bartender was quite knowledgeable and recommended a beer according to my preferences. I started with the One Hop This Time-Nelson from Night Shift Brewing and thought it was fantastic. I appreciate that they offer half pints for half the price, which enables you to enjoy more beers; however, even the half pints will run you $4.75-$5.50+. As others have alluded to, that's not exactly dive bar prices. Maybe I don't understand the North East, but that's regular craft beer prices for local beers in Texas. Evidently, I should've researched better, or read a few additional reviews, because I missed the "cash only" memo until I looked up from my first beer and saw the signs all over the bar. The dog of the day was basically a Reuben hot dog, but alas, with only a $20 in my pocket, I opted for another beer (Kent Falls Super Sparkle IPA) and the ability to tip. There were two bartenders. One never left the far end of the bar (near the kitchen window). The gentleman serving me was nice enough, but certainly elicited no sense of urgency for someone who wasn't a regular. I didn't necessarily feel unwelcome -- merely an inconvenience and that regulars take priority (I get that, I guess). [Summary]: Delivered on the promise of great craft beer; albeit a little pricey for a 'dive bar' and the cash only policy ensured I didn't get to try the food. Service was knowledgeable, but beyond that just so-so and the ambiance, beyond a somewhat neat location, isn't anything to get excited about it. read more

Was there, rainy night, outside door guy smoking a butt and that should have got me to turn around right there. Just something dirty about employees smoking on the job and I don't care what the job is that they are performing. Walked in. Saw the sign CASH only.. Red Flag. In this day in age, in Boston, with a liquor license, serving decent food, why would you ever limit your customer base? It's like saying you only serve men (which is all that there was at the bar). From my history of being in the service industry, people that take cash only with the advent of the square and many other technological advances are on the downward slide but just don't want to tell the public. They cut their costs associated with the taking of a card and use the cash and may have issues taking said cash. Cash opens the door for employee theft, underreporting and makes one think of supplier issues. Not my place to patronize again. Thanks for the ride. read more

What I want to do here at this Bukowski is to run at full pace from the back of the bar down the front door with my right hand holding a pen or spoon and knocking every one of the glass tankards that are hung from the ceiling above the bar. It can be like a scene from one of those 1980s Michael J Fox teen movies. I could be at the back with my dunkleweiss lamenting my poor performance on the pitch earlier, when coach comes in and tells me I'm needed on the team - suddenly 'Walking on Sunshine' comes on, coach shouts... "Don't fail me, you need to be there in 20 mins!" and off I run dinking every tankard in celebration with the music volume suddenly upping.. Woo! Yeah! But apart from the tankards and the long selection of bottled beers, I was basically disappointed by this place. The layout ain't great, they don't take cash and they skimp on paying for nice seats, decor or toilets. Do you get that money back elsewhere?? No - the food, although good, isn't Charlie's-cheap and the drafts (which is what this beer drinker goes for) are quite expensive and the choice is a bit crap. Maybe Bukowski is something that has been surpassed now with Publick House, Deep Ellum and a whole bunch of other places. If you're coming for the beer... there's better. If you're coming for the cheap food... there's better. If you're coming for the glass tankard dream... you've found it. read more

I don't know what a professional drinker is. Maybe someone who gets paid to do it? So I have no idea what everyone is talking about. I don't know why people call this a dive. In fact, I don't really know what a dive is. Something tells me a dive is where the rich kids go to "slum it" and take pictures of themselves drinking Pabst or Miller High Life and smoking Parliaments. Believe me, we are all VERY impressed. That was a bit of an aside. At any rate, this place isn't really like that. The bartenders are very friendly although they won't sing to you if you ask them. Make special note of where the bathrooms are. I looked like the total newbie douchebag when I went straight to the back of the bar and ended up saying hello to the fellas in the kitchen. Then I walked past where all the bathrooms were again and ended up out by the newspapers. If you do that, pretend like you meant to do it (ala Pee Wee) or you just don't care (FYI -- they're the small doors on the right when you walk in). read more

Once someplace has 400+ reviews, is there really much more that needs to be written? Isn't the consensus pretty much already there? Does my opinion really matter? Who am I, anyway? Notes: --There's a wheel of beer that I've always wanted to have the bartender spin, but I'm afraid I'll end up with the $20+ beer. --The bar food isn't bad. Their vegetarian mozzarella meatball sub sandwich thingy is great but it gives me gas. I'm not necessarily going to stop from eating it again, but just warning you. --One time I sat at the bar and met some tourists from Ontario, Canada (as opposed to Ontario, California). They were nice. I like Canadians. --This was one of the first bars my grad school cohort and I went to when I moved to Boston many years ago. I don't talk to any of those people anymore, but I still go to Bukowski's from time to time. --I think it's fair to say that Bukowski, were he still alive to visit his namesake bar, would both hate the people that frequent this bar as well as the bar itself. And I think that's great. read more

This place has gone out of its way to make me revise my opinion of it. In the last six months, every bartender has seen fit to smile, say hello, and be super awesome. The servers have done the same. The beer lines have been immaculate. The food has been high quality. Also: in one fantastic evening, the staff looked with favor upon my decision to inappropriately dance to George Michael at the suggestion of Nicole V., who promised me free beer upon the completion of said inappropriateness. When the entire bar erupted in an impromptu dance off, I knew that my opinion of Bukowski had changed forever. I can no longer be the grumpy old bastard that hates on this place. I'm a fan. read more

Trying to become a beer connoisseur is costing me quite the pretty penny, especially when I'm going strong with a college level tolerance. But I just can't help myself in places like Bukowski Tavern. This place is a true dive bar in every sense of the word -- small, dark, and blasting indie rock. It can get a bit overwhelming when there's no where to sit because there's very little room for standing, but once you can snag a table you're set for the night. I came here on Friday night to try out some new beers and was very happy was the extensive selection. The bartender was friendly and gave me some good beer info despite the crowded bar. I ended up ordering a Pretty Things Fluffy White Rabbit, a Unibroue La Fin du Monde (which was AWESOME) and a Magic Hat #9. At the wise advice of Ms. Rachel Ray we tried the white trash dip which was pretty good (but certainly not "the best thing I ever ate") and came with burning hot chips -- seriously, I burnt my fingers on them. We also ordered some fries, mashed potatoes, and I stole a few bites of my friend's California burger which was really tasty. Everyone at the bar was nice and seemed happy to be there. I'll definitely be back. read more

I love this place! Spent many days popping in to take advantage of their extensive beer list and grab a bite. Loud, small, and cramped most of the time... And you won't care one bit. Can be a bit pricey if you're running on a tight budget, but otherwise it's not too out of place with surrounding establishments in the area. It is Back Bay, after all. An old favorite that I always make sure to frequent at least once, whenever I return to Boston. read more

Pop quiz. Select the option that does not describe a typical dive bar. A. Bartenders with a thousand-yard stare. B. Frat house odor (Lagunitas and armpit). C. Duck confit. D. Cash only. Correct answer: C. Answer (A) is a little fuzzy but the word "confit" is a giveaway. There's probably more categories of bar and pub than there are species of spider. I could write volumes on the nuances of each type, but there's a word limit up in here so I'm going to focus on the type of bar that Bukowski is: A dive. As a dive, Bukowski delivers. It has all the earmarks. Possibly the greatest telltale sign is a handful of regulars who are trying to take a bite out of the dog that bit them. They take refuge in the familiarity of an environment that doesn't judge their alcoholism. This is horseshit, of course, because the bar wants your money so they don't mind remembering your name and listening to how your kid blocked a slap shot. It's easy to characterize Bukowski as a more caring place than the average bar because their specialty is beer. The alcoholic's best friend, hard liquor, is not on the drinks menu. It's also a cash-only bar. Paying with cash makes you a lot more thrifty than paying with a card because you can feel the blood and sweat of your nine-to-five slipping out of your palms. I give them props for this. This way, the bartenders and patrons alike can rest easy knowing that it's going to take a lot longer for people to get rowdy. At 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday, though, there wasn't a hint of a fighting word or fist. It seemed like the only thing people wanted was to be left alone, including the bartenders. That suited me just fine. I shot the breeze with my buddy and, not caring how gay it is, split the tater tot poutine with him. The tots were decent but the melted cheese looked like yellow semen. If you look at the packet from which it came, the label probably reads "Monterey Jack Off." It tasted like cheese, albeit diluted with heavy cream. I really hope it was heavy cream and not the product of a Tyler Durden wannabe. The hot dogs looked a lot better and I would go back to try them because they are served in between what looked like French bread instead of the regular bun. Other than that, I can't think of a reason to go back. Bukowski will do the trick if you're a beer guy with the foresight to withdraw cash from your own bank's ATM beforehand. It will deliver if you just need a place to nurse a hangover in a judgment-free zone. But in those, and many other, regards it is just one in a million in the Back Bay area. read more

If you are looking for a divey-bar surrounded by Bukowski quotes, this is it! Dark ambiance, dark quotes, and if you want, dark beer. Great selection of local beers. The servers were very attentive. Make sure you bring cash! Can't speak for the food, as I didn't try any, but I'll definitely be back for a drink or two. read more

I went here last night because I wanted food, it was late, beer, and Bukowski serves the hot eats until 1 on weekdays, 1:30 on Thursday (not a week day there), Friday, and Saturday. This was my first time in this one, as opposed to the Inman Square location. I haven't had a hot dog in probably a couple of years, so I decided to try their all-beef Mad Dog. Actually I got the double ($7). They were delicious, juicy, tasted like beef, and didn't make me sick. Cheap beer was cheap, around $3. My friend got the mac'n'cheese with andouille, which was absolutely superb. While I was waiting for her to get out of the bathroom, an argument broke out amongst a group of friends over whether or not green-shirt girl was ACTUALLY 25. She repeated it enough times. Eventually, after her license had proven her 25ness, the bartender turned the music down, cupped his hands, and announced to the bar "Hear that everyone? SHE'S 25!" We got our check, and found out that after a certain time of night, food is half price. Can you hug a bar? No. Can that stop you from wishing? Of course not. read more

I had a terrible time. There was a small female bartender who was very condescending.

Bukowski is a disaster in every sense of the word. It's loud, dirty, small, old, dark, and the food is poor. Get the idea yet? I'll admit that I was drawn in by the "buck burger" ($1.69 for a full-size burger until 8pm daily), but it was a huge disappointment. It was a burger from some frozen pack of 100 patties that was barely-thawed and overcooked when it arrived. The beer selection is okay, I guess. But there are plenty of respectable places with good selections. Beers are expensive at $7 for some. And I guess I shouldn't have gone to the bathroom. Because it was apparently designed for smurfs that like graffiti. I think it would have been easier to go to the bathroom in my car or in a box. Graffiti all over the walls and ceiling. Some entertaining, most not. The door was about the size of your high school locker. And to top it off, they don't take credit cards. Ugh. Hard to believe that it has a relatively high rating on Yelp. read more

Jeez i hate doin this. I usually leave the service out of most of my reviews because i understand a bad day... but this takes it. Ill start nice... Food good decent price, peanut butter burger is tasty and they got good beer selection. But.... HUGE EFFIN BUT... Just cause they are trying to be this "non divebar" anti warm and fuzzy atmosphere does not give you an excuse to be bitch... Let me explain my own bitchy whiney comment. Beer is 6.50 =not cheap I ask for a beer i havent hear of before because it sounds interesting... I mispronounce it. She corrects me in a rude manner... thats fine i didnt comment... she brings me my beer in a small kinda glass but HALF of it is FOAM! I was like wtf ... I was still pretty calm considering. Trying to think that maybe she just doesnt know how to poor and with fear that she would definitely fuck with our food if i spoke up. So, keep in mind the place is empty and then comes this other party and they sit at the bar. They order the same beer...they get a big glass and poured correctly. hmmm. didnt want to scream racism (im an asian in a party with 3 mexicans) but come on! Give me a break! You can short me on fries. You can forget to fill my water, You can be late to take my order. BUT DONT FUCKIN SHORT ME ON MY BEER!!! read more

This is the Darth Vader of dive bars. From the outside, menacing, and doesn't have liquor so can be unapproachable. However when one realizes that it is the true one that brings balance to the Force, all is forgiven. Great beer selection. Crowd includes locals who probably should not be drinking on Wednesday nights this late into old age, hipsters enjoying tater tots with chipotle mayo, and wannabe yuppies like me meeting an OKcupid date for the first time. She was pretty attractive, also very cool which is going to heavily weigh into my review. Just kidding I am always impartial. But seriously that can affect anything. Music selection is awesome, up and coming indie rock, 80s glam rock, Alanis Morisette. No house music for the EDM heads - they can stay away thankfully. Didn't sample the food as I was here for the company and german beer. Zero levels of pretentiousness. Great for conversation. I'll be back. Underneath a giant parking garage, total points for that. Moving to Boston has been a mixed bag for me; this bar keeps things in the positive. read more

Named after famous writer Charles Bukowski, I think if he were alive he would like this place, because I sure did. It's a dark, swanky yet dingy dive bar, with verses written on the walls, a ceiling made of glass beer mugs, a leopard print bathroom, and an excellent selection of beer, tap and bottle. They also have a wheel of beer you can spin if you're undecided, although they might look at you as if you're retarded, or maybe that's just how I would look at you if you couldn't choose one of so many delicious beers. The prices were between 5 and 9 dollars depending on the beer. Unless you're quasi-white trash like us, and after a few rounds of expensive beer, discovered the local Boston area swill, Brubaker's for 3.50 for a 20 oz. bottle..........the long walk home in the rain made much more fun by the five or six we had before leaving. These also probably helped me be able to set a self-timer on my camera and take a photo of myself peeing in the bathroom, don't worry I didn't post it! They also serve food here and after midnight everything and I mean everything on the menu was $4.99! Crazy! The food looked pretty good though and at that price, it looked even better. The service was also really quick and all the locals in the bar were beyond friendly, especially the ones who were drunk on a wednesday night, love them. There was also some interesting and good music on, i.e. an entire james brown album + the black keys. If I lived in the area or even near the area, I could definitely see myself frequenting this place. read more

Bukowski Tavern - leopard print bathroom - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Bartender Dan was a pretentious unhelpful prick. The bar would be better served hiring help who had some idea of what beer and food was on the menu. The experience was the epitome of Boston and east coast ignoranc e in the customer service field. read more

I was really expecting this place to be a dive, modeled after the bar in Barfly. I can't lie, I'm pretty disappointed that it's wasn't a dive at all. Minus one star. Sigh. Otherwise, I think this was a fun place. I love the decor and the painted movie clips from Barfly, and I love that it said, "To all my friiiiends... a drink!" when you walk into the place. That's awesome. But when I walked in I was kind of banking on having my shoes get stuck to the floor. Oh well, that's ok. It was still fun. The food was pretty good, the drink selection is nice, and the atmosphere is cool. Our waitress was cool, too. Bonus. Since commenting on bathrooms seems to be my thing, I'll bring it up. First of all, I can't even count that amount of people who walked to the back of the bar where the was a huge sign saying the bathrooms were in the front, and continued to look for the bathroom. Illiteracy is clearly a growing problem. So is alcoholism. Anyway, the bathroom is HOT. Literally. I walked in there and it was so warm. It was a wonderful comparison to how freezing it was outside, so I totally didn't mind hanging out in the single person bathroom. Big fan. The cheetah print wall paper is a nice touch as well. I'm also biased because my twin, Jenna C., and I bonded there. Awesome. read more

Bukowski Tavern is the type of place that quickly becomes your place -- where you head after work for a wind-down beer, the meetup place between you and your friends before heading out on the town, the place for a casual Saturday night when you don't want to go too crazy, maybe even the place you take someone on your third date... once you've impressed them and you're starting to really get to know each other. I'm sure part of this has to do with their beer challenge: 100+ beers will get you a 22-oz. beer stein over the bar with the name of a dead author of your choosing -- and they will fill your glass every time you come in for the price of a pint. Beer is the star here. The menu was astounding, and the bar staff seems extremely knowledgeable in all of the brews. However, the food was also... there are no words really. It was delicious. I skeptically tried the peanut butter burger with bacon, and oh my what a wonderful leap of faith it was! The burger itself was perfect, but the addition of crunchy peanut butter and crispy bacon made my palatte scream in ecstasy. And, after I downed the burger, I noticed there were the most amazing fries underneath it that really should not have been a second thought. Highly recommended, my friends. Bukowski's is small, hidden away next to the Summer Shack, but the music is blasting and the vibe is old-time neighborhood bar. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is because they don't accept credit cards, and this girl doesn't carry cash often. read more

cool beer selection, good music, and the tater tots were perfect. our waitress was very kind as well.

Yes, it's five stars. For me. Maybe not for you. Let's run down whether you're going to love or hate this bar: #1 One of the best on-tap beer selections you will ever see. What, 20 constantly-changing craft brews (plus PBR - cheap!) not enough for you? That's cool; there's almost 100 different brews in bottles and cans available as well, from locally-brewed to all-over-the-world. In short, if they don't have something here you'll like, you don't like beer (so what are you doing here?) #2 No jukebox. The staff plays whatever they feel like, and they usually play it loud, whether there's 2 or 82 people in here. The range of what type of music gets played will also probably boggle your mind if you come here more than twice. Don't worry about it, just enjoy it and drink your beer. #3 Food, late. Yeah, this is a beer bar first and foremost but they didn't skimp on the kitchen. All the standard pub fare plus a few surprises on the menu, and I've never had food here that wasn't good. Sometimes it's the best meal I've ever eaten but that's usually when I've been drinking and am really hungry. #4 It's small. I mean really small, like about the size of a large railroad car. I like that, except when there's 82 people here; gets a little crowded. I try to stay away on Friday or Saturday nights unless it's after midnight. Fun tip: Spin the wheel! At least once. read more

So, if you go to a bar with "100 draft beers on draft", and you don't like the beer you ordered, should the response be "I can get you another beer, but I'm charging you for this one. We're a beer bar, it not my fault you don't like it". Shawn was arrogant, considering I ordered and enjoyed their cask beer. Might I suggest the pour house, Whiskey's, or any other bar with bartenders who appreciate customers. read more

This Bukowski's is waay better than the Cambridge one. Same good food and beer selection, but in a more cosy pub-style setting, with laid back efficient bar staff who are cool without the more-hipster-than thou vibe you can sometimes get in the other one. Best of all, yes, you don't have to ponder how you're turning into your old man by complaining about the teenage volume levels that are so popular in Inman. It's not a dive bar though - I suspect that description may have arisen from the smattering of Back Bay rich kids one sees slumming it in there. Although in fairness, they're a low-key bunch; no sweaters over the shoulders that I could see... read more

Ooooh Bukowski's.....I want to love you soooo much but I can't seem to get over my other crushes. It's not you, it's me.... You can sit in solitude at the bar, drinking like a lonely alcoholic douche bag or bring in your loud and rowdy friends for a good time. Basically, whatever your speed, whatever your pleasure, Bukowski's is okay with it. But don't spin the damn wheel!!! Make a decision and choose your own beer.....I'm just bitter because I spun the wheel once and it gave me PBR....what do I look like a freakin' hipster!?!?!?! If you like small, dive bar settings with a solid selection of craft beer this is your spot. They have a book, a freaking BOOK of beer. And if you manage to finish every beer in the book, toiling away a couple thousand dollars and countless lonely hours drinking yourself into oblivion like a true alcoholic......well then you get a glass mug with a number and your name on it! CONGRATS YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM. Here's some more advice, try the freaking burger with the egg and peanut butter!!! Ignore your tastebuds screaming for mercy and the little voice in the back of your head saying WWHHHHHHYYYYY!!!!! It's delicious, peanut butter just works with it.....trust me....that's what I always tell ladies. read more

Bukowski's was certainly the best drinking-related discovery that I made during Fall 2011, and by "I made" I obviously mean "I heard someone mention it over and over again and figured it must be worth checking out" - and it was. As many others have noted, it's a cash only place. Luckily you'll be able to tell where you ended your night when you inevitably wake up in shame the next morning because your large (and perhaps multiple) ATM withdrawal(s) will show up with the handy "BUKOWSKI BOSTON" detail on your bank statement. I've tried more new beers since first going to Bukowski Tavern than I probably had in the past 3 years, my friends have even started to accuse me of being a beer snob - I'm okay with that. The selection of drafts is constantly evolving and always has several interesting choices. The staff is great, especially because I like my bartenders to be no-nonsense, and you're certainly not going to have any BS handed to you here. The bathroom is gross, but what can you expect? It's a bar, it's supposed to be gross. As long as there is a working sink and a stock of TP I can't complain, and they seem to always meet these demands. Go to Bukowski's, drink a lot of beer, be jealous of the folks with mugs named after dead authors, maybe eat something with gobs of spicy cheese on it, and make some questionable (but fun?) life decisions. You'll like it, I swear. read more

I hadn't been to Bukowski's in years but went last week when I had out of town visitors. I take everyone here at least once when they come to visit me from most anywhere. It was their 21st Birthday on the day we went so you got free cake! It was grocery store sheet cake - MY FAVORITE! Our bartender was very funny and nice, we all loved Amanda, almost as much as the White Trash Cheese Dip. Bukowski's will continue to be on my bar tour for Boston newbies. read more

A dive, a dive of dives. Bukowski is located on the bottom floor of a massive parking garage. You can easily miss it since the door is tiny, but keep an eye out for neon signs and you'll spot it. This is probably the closest legit eatery to the convention center, and by legit I mean SOUL. While I was here I overheard a dude picking up a chick, saying that he lived right upstairs. Kinda confused me since isn't this a parking garage...well anyways... Bar is more long lengthwise than anything. Most will likely be sitting at the bar, but that's how it is in a place like this. Walkway up and down is kinda cramp so be prepared for people to bump into your seat. Everyone's pretty cool here, especially the bar guys, so really don't take anything personal here. -=-California Burger-=- Man, I'm just realizing I'm a Californian ordering a California Burger in Boston. It's not the largest burger in the world, but you'll be satisfied. I really wished that the patty would be a bit more flavorful or unique, but I guess it's playing it safe with simple seasoning. I got this coupled with mashed potato and fries. I particularly liked that the ranch was of the spicy variety. read more

The Big Bukowski, what are you? Are you a dive bar? Nah, not with those beer prices. Then why do you look like a dive bar? Oh, so the hipster Berklee crowd will think you're authentic. Gotcha. I like this place for the following reasons - large beer selection, good pub food menu with relatively decent prices, and a decent proximity to Fenway, making it a good pregame location. But there is too much that annoys me. First, they don't take cards, so you have to use the ATM out front and pay a fee. Whatever, I can get past this archaic idea. The beer prices baffle me. $3.25 for a Schlitz? Really? You're fronting as a cool dive bar, but you're going to bend me over for the cheapest beer not named Natural Light? I expect to pay a good amount for a craft brew, but PBR and Schlitz should not cost that much unless they come in something over 22oz. The help, they're nice enough, but sometimes you get some ultra hipster that's far too cool to pay attention to your table and you end up waiting extra time between drinks and waiting for the check. Like someone else mentioned, it is one thing if they're busy, it is another if it is busy and they're standing by the bar, talking to someone, and not paying attention to your table. And it gets worse if they're doing this and it isn't even busy. I've had better luck when sitting at the bar, so this entire review is based on my table experiences. And when I go in the future, I'll be sticking to the bar. I might get less beer offerings, but I'd rather head to the Pour House for my pregame meal. Edit: Ohhhhh, I get it! They write 'FUCK' in the menu! So clever! - Juggernaut is lukewarm on this idea read more

Well, this was the absolute worst experience I have ever had in a bar, ever. I was really excited to go here, as I like dive bars a lot. The beer selection was great, the night started out really well. Then, as it got later, these really drunk guys at the table next to my friend and I started in on us. It wasn't just the usual drunken banter -- at one point, one of the guys physically accosted my friend. Then they both started asking us to, well, go home with them, but of course in a much less savory way. When we said no, they repeatedly called us whores, and at one point one threw a chair in my general direction, hitting my chair with his. We complained to the waitress, who suggested that we move to another table. We did, which was dumb, but we had full beers that we owed payment on. We explained to her that these guys were in a physical altercation with my friend, and screaming profanities at us, and a chair was tossed. The waitress quite bluntly explained there was nothing she could do, as these guys were "regulars." She then counted out our money that we left for the check, and again, quite bluntly explained that we hadn't really left enough for a satisfactory tip, and that we should really re-think the amount we calculated. So this place doesn't even deserve one star. If you like to be assaulted by "regulars," and insulted by waitresses who condone the behavior of their patrons, this is the place for you. read more

It's hard not to go into this particular review without it sounding like a quickfire rant. After seeing the suggested pictures for this place though, it was a lot easier. Bukowski's Tavern is located right next to Kings in the Back Bay area. It's a small place with a bar on the left when you enter, followed by a seating area in the back and to the right. The place prides itself on attitude, but it was really an eyesore to see all the cursing show up on basically every wall and piece of decor they had. I ordered a Hot Dog and fries which were both very very salty. Cleanliness was not a big thing for them, having seen flies everywhere. The music was random, both in its selection and delivery. Different genres of music would play, but the music would also be shut off at random times too. When there was music playing, it was too loud to talk or hear other folks at the same table. The server was also in a rush to get us out, even though there were 5 empty tables around us. i've nothing more to say about the place. read more

After reading about it on Yelp I decided I had to visit Bukowski's. A friend and I met up after work on a Wednesday and went to check it out. I was expecting it to be more loud, considering some of the complaints. We got there at about 6:30 and there were already a fair number of people at the bar, and one or two tables with people ordering food. The atmosphere was great -- sweet murals on the walls, dim lighting, condiments on the table nestled in an old cardboard sixer. I was so stunned by the bar food menu. They had exactly the right sort of hearty fare to compliment a cold beer, and some amusing items like the meatball sub made with "vegan meatballs," and the "Mad Dog" hot dogs. There was a separate menu listing for "Two Mad Dogs," which is... you guessed it... two hot dogs. My compatriot ordered the two dogs, I got a quite decent (though not particularly authentic -- really, I wasn't expecting it to be) Cuban sandwich. And beer. Oh, the beer. They had Berkshire Oktoberfest on tap, so I went for it. My pal had the Cambridge Brewing Co. pale ale, also on tap. He had four pints with dinner. I was reminded of why it's not a good idea for a 135-lb. woman to go out drinking with a 6'5" Viking of a man. When he ordered his fourth beer I thought, hell, I might as well order a second one, and thence came my downfall. (Literally -- I stumbled and fell down onto some poor woman's lap on the Green line after we left.) Two complaints: 1) At 7:00, that magical hour, the lighting dimmed and the volume of the music doubled. Ohhh, that's what you guys were talking about. It wasn't too crowded, so we could still hear each other to talk, but it was less pleasant for a friendly heart-to-heart, more suitable for a raucous crowd of pals. 2) Our bar food dinner for two was over $60, with tip. True, we ordered 6 beers. But the CBC serves their shit for $4/pint, and Buk's was charging $5.25 for the same beer. I mean, I know it's the Back Bay or whatever, but you can't have an item called "white trash" anything on your menu if you put an additional 30% markup on the beer. There was even a sad little note on the menu about why they have to charge $3 for a PBR, boo hoo. All in all, recommended, but it is easy to drop some unexpected amount of money here. read more

If you're leaving an open bar party and someone suggests going out to another bar.. you best believe that place is some kind of awesome.. enter in Bukowski's. After a night of drinking on the company's dime (thank goodness for holiday parties in this economic climate!), a few cohorts decided to skip on over to Bukowski's. Even though I couldn't feel my face after being outside for 5 minutes, I went along for the ride. And despite the fact that the waitress knew we all had drank a little more than necessary for a Tuesday, she was pretty awesome. Coming round lickity split with our drinks and again later on with our checks. I've been in Bukowski's a couple times and it's always led to win. Tons o tons of beers to choose from.. although don't be ashamed of getting the PBR on tap.. it's only $3ish. Never tried the food.. but I'll stick to the beer here. People call this place a dive.. which I sort of agree on.. but considering it's in Back Bay and a hop skip and a jump from Newbury, I can't exactly call it an out and out dive. One booooo factor is the cash only thing.. but there's a Bank of America on the corner of Boylston/Mass Ave and a BofA and Citizen's down the street on Boylston.. so get someone to go unless you want to use their ATM. read more

I am not a beer person and the menu here is as "bar food" as could be, so this isn't a place that really would appeal to me anyway I guess... but what really gets me is the attitude of the waitstaff there... like you've committed some personal affront by asking for something. I came in to check the place out for the first time one day. I saw a waitress and asked if I could look over a menu, and she said, rolling her eyes and limply pointing "they're all on the bar" --how about putting a smile on and politely handing me one. I waited around for you to ask if I'd like something, but you never bothered, so I left. Will never go back. I must say, I've been to the inman sq. location and found the attitude and atmosphere a lot better. Especially with the open air seating. I'd avoid the boston location. Waitress lady: Nobody's paying you for your snotty attitude. read more

This bar is just for people who want to pretend they are blue collar. It totally is a dive and the bartenders are arrogant because they have a few different styles of beer on tap. Big deal, wash the floor. A better than average collection of beer to drink can be found here. Just don't pat yourself too much on the back for drinking here. This bar is for letting people pretend they are sophisticated and fighting society pressures like a revolutionary. But they um aren't. At all. FYI: Cabanas are delicious FYI: PEOPLE LIKE THIS BAR BECAUSE IT CAN BE THE FIRST PLACE THEY ARE EXPOSED TO GOOD BEERS; THE BAR DOESN'T MAKE THESE BEERS. ALSO THE BAR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FAMOUS AUTHOR. read more