I love Bukowski's. Great beer selection, very cool crowd, and those hot dogs are delicious. Every time i visit Boston, i try to drag my friends there - usually with success cause who couldn't love Bukowski's ? read more

I only went here once, and for a short period of time, but it had a divey atmosphere (carefully cultivated) which I both disdain and seek. I disdain the careful cultivation. it's like that kid you grew up with who tried too hard to be "intellectual," and he was annoying as shit; but then you run into him like 15 years later and he's a Russian Literature professor and he's got a good looking wife (younger, natch, someone he met while he was a TA in grad school) and a dog of uncertain breed and a smooth-looking tweed blazer and all of a sudden you like him. But he's still sort of an insecure douche. Me? I seek that moment that you realize that all of a sudden you no longer hate that guy, even though he's still a douche. That's Bukowski! But... They serve Krusovice! (i only had one beer, but the fact they had krusovice really got me going). Shit was tax ($28 for 4), but whatever. I'm rich! No I'm not. I also liked that the Men's room had a lock on it. Respeck. Didn't try any food. Don't eat at places where it's a plus that there's a lock on the bathroom door. read more

This is a great dive bar in a sea of wanna be irish pubs and too-school-for-school bar scenes. Just off of Boylston, and ironically close to Capital Grille is this tucked away gem. Its what I think a dive should be. Sort of ugly and unkempt, hardcore beer selection with cheapo standbys (hello PBR!), and food that your personal trainer would hate you for. I think some of the gastropub activity is out of control, so this a nice real bar in a nice part of town. The hotdogs and burgers are delish. The best part is that they all can be made vegetarian, a HUGE plus for my veggie hubs (and he actually liked them). Definitely give the buffalo chicken dip a try. They have a good selection on draught, but you can also check out a MASSIVE beer menu of interesting and unique selections. I think the service is really friendly and I have never hurted to find a space. Check it out if you need a break from the craziness. Bring cash (the motto on their tabs: "In God we trust, the rest pay cash") read more

SMALL PINTS! Beware when you order 16oz beers on draft. They use a "2 finger head" method on all beers, regardless of actual head on the beer. Assuming they use an actual 16oz pint glass ( didn't check the bottoms, look for thick bottoms to identify 14oz glasses ) that still only leaves you with 12 ounces of beer. Just measured it with a glass and measuring cup at home to make sure. I really don't appreciate being lied too... the way the bartender tried to prove us wrong, first by claiming the glass was 18 ounces, then using a jigger of unknown size, SCREAMED that they've dealt with this before. Food was good, but small portions, waitress was OK, until we mentioned the pour... then she disappeared completely. This has definitely been brought up before. Also, ithaca flower power tasted very off... might just have been an old tap though... don't want to jump to too many bad conclusions based on their crappy poors, but it tasted like torpedo to me. Also, why cash only? Is this some kind of money laundering operation? Sketchy. read more

The bartender was extremely rude and lied to me and my friends. How can you expect quality service when you have liars behind the bar? I'm disgusted; I hope the manager puts these folks in line. read more

Bukowski's overlooks the 90 and appears precariously wedged into a parking structure like a cliff dwelling. Somehow I find the high angle views of highway drivers from Buk's more inspiring than those from atop the Prudential. . . Anyway, during the week, a chill atmosphere prevails in this long corridor of a bar. Weekends see the place maxed out so prepare for frottage in the first degree. The food is whatever, but all the burgers can be subbed with a veggie burger, score! You could probably wring something akin to a PBR out of the well worn menus, but why bother when you can order from a plethora of more enticing options. Lots of IPAs and belgians abound. Order a 3/4 liter bottle of Allagash in an elegant, emblazoned beer chalice and drink up like Ron Burgundy. Stay Classy Boston! read more

Two dollah make you hollah. Two dollah beers make you drunk. Throw in a couple friends or just come alone and hang out. You won't get thrown out. I enjoyed the time I spent at this place. You can get a table overlooking the pike and see the cars race by. You can go outside and look at the sky. I think this is great place to grab a few beers and a burger and relax. The music was loud and it seemed No Doubt was the only thing they were playing (I hate No Doubt) but I was ok with it because they were also playing Sharknado. That is a nice mix. Just like Bukowski's, a nice mix. read more

My brother had heard about this tavern so we went before heading to Fenway for a concert. The place is small but welcoming, and they have a decent selection of beers on tap. We split a sandwich and for the life of me I can't remember what it was, which means it was unmemorable. If I was in the area and wanted a brew I could see coming back, but I wouldn't make a special trip for it. It's A-OK and not much more. read more

I love bukowski's... i've stopped in here for beers for a few years, and always have a great time- the music is loud, the beers are cold and diverse, as is the crowd. My only gripe (ok gripes) is that it's cash only, which bothers me because i HATE handing over cash at a bar, its much more fun opening a tab and pretending the drinks are free for a ffew hours. Secondly, the bathrooms are gross and small. Lastly, the place can get really cramped as its literally the size of a bowling lane. Thats not really a completely bad thing, as it gives Buk's such a unique atmosphere and feel that is hard to find anywhere else, especially off Boylston. I've had the food a few times, and its nothing to write home about, but it does get the job done if you're just trying to get something in your stomach during a long night out! Minor Update: Try the sweet potato fries with horseradish sauce.... soooooooooo good! read more

On my last trip to boston, we came here on 2 out of the 5 nights we stayed. Must'a been pretty good, huh? Maybe it was the fact that two people can get wasted here on cheap beer for like $50. Quite refreshing since a damn can of PBR is $5 in Manhattan. Sheesh. read more

Bukowski Tavern - ( . )( . ) boobs. Heh heh. - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The hot dogs and buns and tater tots are stellar. The service is so-so - probably better, if you're friends with the staff. Most of their beers are IPAs (I can't wait for this trend to die out), but it's cool that they rotate the selection. Small. Cash Only. Solid 3/5 stars seems fitting. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Damn good hot dog. Crisp, buttery bun. Decent beer. - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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1st off: $1.69 burgers before 8pm?! How the hell does Bukowski's stay in business?! Oh that's right, for every hamburger I buy I end up spending $15 on delicious high quality beer. 2nd off: The wheel!! Let fate decide your beverage of choice. I have gotten a wonderful Unibroque followed by a soul-crushing MGD. It's all fun and games until you have to drink a Pabst. +'s: Wonderful beer selection, diverse patrons, pleasant servers, delicious and cheap burgers, good music, Dead Author's Society -'s: Waiting for someone to *die* for the a chance to join the Dead Author's Society, having to explain to my medical school friends who Bukowski was *every damn time* I go. read more

Really wanted to like this place due to proximity to Hilton, but regrettably, it just tries way too hard. Stationary stools, diner style, just higher. Horrible alternative music. Bartenders are not the friendliest, but very good at their job. For a "dive" bar, I'M surprisingly not a fan. read more

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Bukowski's Tavern is a bar themed after the writer/poet Charles Bukowski. You would think by that fact that it is a pretentious asshole hangout where hipsters are sitting, drinking, and clanking away at their typewriters, writing the most insignificant shit you could imagine but it's really not that type of place. I'm not saying hipsters don't go there cause that would be a blatant lie, but the rest of us are definitely welcomed to dine there. Aside from that stupid rant that I just went on, it's probably my favorite back bay bar. It is a red shoebox that is located around the corner from the Hynes Convention Center T-stop off the green line, so it is pretty easy to get to. That being said, it is at times packed, usually later in the week at evenings, and other times a place to you and your group to enjoy at peace aside from the people sipping away at the bar. The food is always something that I'm happy with. It's always made well. Here is a link to the menu is you would like to take a look. It is mainly a burger and sandwich type of place. http://www.bukowskitavern.net/boston/menu My usual there is just a burger, so it wouldn't be much help to tell you that they never screwed up my burger order, but nevertheless they have never screwed up my burger order. If you looked at the menu is can be somewhat pricey for things like appetizers, but the rest is on par with other places. The most expensive item is a Mac and Cheese at $11, and the burgers float around the $9-10.50 area. The beer there is pretty damn good. I'm a beer drinker and that is what usually brings my back here. The draft list usually has something like twelves beers that you'll enjoy on it. They also have a bottle list if for some reason you aren't digging the drafts. That being said, if you are bringing a girl here, make sure she likes beer because they won't have other alcohol to keep her here, or happy. Prices can be about $3.50 for a PBR, $5-7 for a draft, and sometimes a bit more expensive or equally expensive for a beer off the bottle list. The waitstaff is usually pretty good. It can be said that sometimes they may need an extra person to wait tables if it's packed but they do a pretty good job. They are also very knowledgeable of the beers they serve there. I've taken a few recommendations and liked what I got, not that I have drank a beer that I haven't liked, but anyway. They do a good job of keeping an eye out to see if you need another drink and making sure everything is all good in the hood. The bathrooms, as other people have written about are a bit dirty, and somewhat small. But, I never thought enough to care about it since all that I was doing was taking a piss, which in itself is a bit dirty, so I feel like it somehow cancels out. If you are a guy, you probably won't care but I imagine some girls might. Also, the bathrooms are located in the front, as the sign in the back kind of rudely, but humorously points out. If you liked what you read, then try it out. I've seen all ages (above 21) and types of people here (hipsters, johnny wallstreets, joe the plumbers). read more

I love this place! It's one of the few bars I've been to where the atmosphere is lively, but you can still hear one another to have conversations. The beer selection is thorough, and they have a cool game if you are either indecisive or daring. They have a wheel to spin with many different beers on it. Much like Wheel of Fortune, wherever the wheel stops is the beer you get. When I went, they were playing a Tom Waits album. Could any music have been more appropriate? The place is designed to be sort of the archetype of a seedy bar, except, y'know, self-aware and literary. Many theme bars are just damn obnoxious, but Bukowski is very comfortable. read more

i saw Rachel Ray feature this place on"the best thing i ever ate" for their "white trash dip" and my boyf has memories of going to the one in Camb so when i saw it was ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR HOTEL at 330 pm when we got in from a long (foodless) morning train ride, i was psyched. Say what you want about Raytard, but the woman knows her way with traveling and eating. It's totally adorable and divey. bartendress was super sweet and played some awesome dolly parton tunes. Really decent beer selection and $3 pabst on tap! and then...the dip...the dip....was perfect... scrumptiously spicy and silky. For a dive they had a BUNCH of vegetarian options to the point where it was really hard to JUST get the dip. I really enjoyed my time here. Walking past it on the way home WAY later, i could see it was really busy... I liked it so much I made my boyf cancel our dinner plans at the posh gastropub Russels in Harvard Square so we could walk the 20 mins to innman to visit their other location and I could get the dip again. Innman location not as fun. It stank of puke and though larger, was less friendly. Tomato bisque in a bread bowl was also tasty though a bit too creamy for me. read more

This place used to have the best mac and cheese but it has changed. The last time I was in for lunch the music was so loud that the person I was with had to yell at each other to hear. At Lunch! Sorry to say I think Bukowski's has lost it. read more

You do know that you are the service industry, correct? Never have I ever experienced a place like this. "Does anyone have an actual order?" Who the hell says that? Thumbs down all around. I get better service in the douchebagery of Brooklyn. read more

I love this place! Cool atmosphere, great beer, food's good (and discounted late night) and they always have great music playing. I'd describe this place as grown up hipster sans any cooler-than-you vibe... I love going here! read more

This place is the absolute bomb. Yeah it's loud. To drive away the tools. And it works amazingly well. The music's solid 90% of the time, too. The beer ranges from light hefeweizens to friggin Rauchbiers (salmon), all of which will please your face and rock your liver. From dirt cheap to reeeediculously expensive ones. The bartenders range from edgy to busty to just plain nice, and there's Sean too. The food is always badass, too, especially the burgers, specials, and mac & cheese. I've got my mug, so I should know. read more

The Bukowski in Inman Square is far superior. Friendlier, more knowledgeable staff, more space, better music, more comfortable seating, less obnoxious crowd, etc. Also, vegans/vegetarians beware - I ordered the veggie burger here under the server's assurance that it was, in fact, vegan. It arrived with cheese oozing out of it, and I had to almost argue with her to have it sent back in favor of the (definitely) vegan meatballs. I hate being a pest, so this put me in a really uncomfortable situation. Next time I'll stick to beer. If there IS a next time. I'll take the Other Side over this joint any day. Heck, I'd even take Whiskey's. read more

Went to Buks for brunch yesterday after running the Ras na hEireann in Davis. Hardly anybody was in there, which I really liked; wasn't in the mood for rowdy drinkers. Really good breakfast burrito and crispy french toast. Strong coffee. Going to keep them in mind next time I'm at a loss for a reliable brunch spot. Do: bring cash Don't: bring your children. Not because it isn't suitable for families, but because I don't want the rats messing up my brunch. read more

Amazing amazing amazing. Love the different types of burger meat! And the service is 5 star quality but at a burger joint price! Also they were awesome at pairing foods with their extensive and unique drink menu. Definitely coming again. Calvrett should be your server. He's the man!!!! read more

Bukowski Tavern - Hibiscus in my drink. So delicious - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Well- it turns out Minky was having a bad night- I don't have 'em often but when I do.... So- I go to Bukowski of all places. Why? No one will ever know. I order the Mac & Cheese cause I can. Sweet waitress M was really nice. That always helps the Yelps. Good drinks, good to very good food. Music was a little dicey and the place has a 'lil bit of a weird dumb punk vibe I don't particularly like. But all in all, pretty good. And thanks M for kind words on a Super Crappy Night... read more

Black Keys blasting. Conversation blaring. Beer a-pouring. This is one fine bar to saddle into. Just remember your Benjamins, as it's cash only. They have great rotating taps and a consistently great bottle menu. Food is excellent too. Try the peanut butter burger -- really! Since the place is small, get here early. It fills up fast and gets louder and louder as the night wears on! read more

I want this place to be magically transported to....across the street from my house. Yes, I liked it that much. Great beers, excellent atmosphere, very cool (and damn good looking) bartender / waitstaff chicks and the food was good too. I definitely will be visiting this place each time I'm in Boston. read more

I made it a point to treck out here before the ballgame at Fenway and I'm glad I did. While we had to get off of the T at Kenmore and get back on it going the other way (it was waaaay too packed to make it from the left side to the right side), it was worthwhile. They boast a pretty nice beer list with a bunch of "humor" interspersed on the menu. The food menu looked pretty appealing overall and we shared a bowl of broccoli cheese soup. It was super fresh with still crunchy bits of broccoli. They also had a tempting looking "meat"ball sandwich using eggplant balls versus actual meat. They play some pretty good but obscure music. It very much reminded me of a college bar in Seattle that might be next to a store that still sells CDs and records. The menu handily denotes which drafts are local and which are regional. They also have nice non-Northeast options (Lagunitas, Anderson Valley, and a shout-out to CO proud Left Hand). I had a great Clementine Witbier from Clown Shoes, Mayflower Summer Rye on cask, and (my favorite of the three) Sgt. Pepper by CBC which was a peppercorn saison. Outside, there were plenty of pedicabs standing by to take people to the ballgame. Not wanting to get back on the train after being smushed like a sardine for nearly an hour, this was a really handy option. read more

A diamond in the rough. This dive bar is the greatest place ever. We found this by accident on a self proclaimed crawl one evening, and it was so accidental the taxi driver didn't even know what we were talking about. I love when things like that happen, as you know a gem is in your future. Staff is well versed in all offerings whether they be libations or served on plates; don't be afraid to mention a food allergy as they will bend over backward to accommodate. Cash only! And don't loiter at the tables. Sit, eat, finish and get up. It's pretty simple. read more

Awful unless you are interested in drinking beer - one of the worst burgers I have had at $13 - cheap meat, over cooked, no meat taste, and very flat patty; concur with the one comment = past their heyday unless you are drinking beer and even then too greedy for my take ... - Totally full of themselves-burgers are cooked well-done no choice ... they expect you to spend $9 on tater tots (?)= really?!? Plain stupid and greedy and that is just starting price ... did I mention how stupid this is from a customer point of view(?) not to mention cash only ... silly in the 21st century No true sandwich choices- DO NOT come for the food ...seriously = they are riding on the name and again... worst burger ever = Five Guys is far better Ps this not a reflection on the staff ... the owners/ mgmt have decided to market off the name and the customer Definitely will not return read more

:YAAAAAWWWWWWWNNNNNN: Eh. Besides the beer selection, Mac n Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries and Turkey Burgers with Guac....this Bukowski's doesn't hold a candle to Cambridge. It is the same menu as Cambridge so I would rather go right down the street from my house to visit a place with a chill vibe and patrons that are all over the board. This location is small and cramped and overall really shitty....I don't get the same "cool" vibe like I do in Cambridge. The staff here kinda of have attitudes and to me, it just seems dark and dingy...not in a cool dive bar way. You get a lot of Ya Dudes before Sox games and a lot of college kids..sure it makes for great people watching - especially watching two 22 year olds trying to order something cool from their beer selection. They usually settle with a Bud and call it a day, whilst hoping no one was watching. Well I was and I did see you dude! Boo to you. Everyone, come to Cambridge - it is WAY more fun watching Cambridge Hospital outpatients and peeps just coming from the meth clinics talk about life at the bar. read more

i love this place, if you like beer this is your heaven. If your into the inde crowd this is heaven and if you like peanut butter on your burgers with a side of sweet potato fries this is heaven. Oh and by the heaven is good. The music fits the ambiounce loud punk/emo/ skater. bring cash no credit cards allowed and only come when thirsty. read more

Veggie Dogs anyway you like em...(and yes...non-veggiedogs too)... I found them in boston Im stoked as hell very very happy :) They are accompanied by what seems like an endless supply of types of beer... WOOHOO! read more

This place is tiny and there isn't a single tv in the place. Lots of great beer and the food was really good, got the poutine tots and buffalo bites. The service wasn't that great. read more

This place rocks. Only place I know where you can find $2.50 beer! They are a limited selection of bar food but still very good. Only downside is that it's wicked small and you will have a hard time trying to hold a conversation with the music blasting in your ears. My friends and I stayed on till a little later (seems like crowd moves on around 11 as ppl bar hop around the area) and it was nice place to just chill with no frills. :) read more

What's true in music is also true in bars and restaurants - the original is almost always better. The Cambridge location is plagued by occasionally lousy service, music too loud to hold a conversation, and generally an uninviting atmosphere - although sitting by the open windows on a warm evening is a great way to people watch over a good beer. Over in the Back Bay, the original is still a great place to grab a beer. The space is cozy and inviting, with all sorts of little nooks to get comfortable in. Due to the small size of the place, you can't help but get served quickly, even when the bar is packed. The beer and food menus are almost identical between locations, but all of those other factors - the room, the ambience, the service - make the original a 4-star bar while the Inman Square one is 2.5-3 stars. It also helps that I've had some great dates at the Back Bay bar and some lousy ones in Inman Square. Bukowski is just far enough away from Fenway (and sufficiently hidden) that you can pop in here before, during and after a Sox game and not get overwhelmed with drunken suburbanites and undergrads. If you're not a fan of beer, this isn't the place for you - their license is for beer & wine only. They are open until 2am, which is unique among beer & wine-only spots. read more

Came here with a friend looking for decent pub food and a couple beers. She ordered carrot/ginger soup and chop suey, neither of which she (nor I, admittedly) were impressed with. The soup had potential and I would have added a few dried herbs to spice it up a bit. The suey was average, I could have made it, and it was lukewarm... I ordered the peanut burger with bacon...DELICIOUS. I've been meaning to try making it that way myself and now know that I will definitely do so next time. The fries were cooked PERFECTLY, crispy but not burnt, and they were mildly spiced so as to blend well with the taste of the burger. I can't remember which beer I had (there are a myriad selection), but it was on the stouter side and was a wonderful pairing with the food. My friend loved my meal and ended up getting fries as well, which goes to show you, soup and chop suey are NOT the way to go at a pub. Definitely want to go again with a small group of people ready to drink. read more

Beer selection was excellent, but service was not so friendly. Food was surprisingly GOOD. read more

Fairly good draft beer selection, but it's cash-only and the service can be a tiny bit slow. However, great location, good dive bar ambiance, and a fun place to end the night. The food is pretty darn good too. read more

Hot damn this place is delicious. Come with cash. Get the peanut butter bacon burger (crunchy PB!!). It is one of the best burgers I've had with PB on it (and I've had a few!). The burger is very well cooked, the bun holds up to all of the fixins. The beer list is also outstanding. Had an amazing oatmeal stout. I'll definitely be back! read more

Found this place on yelp and it seemed kinda cool. Pretty much a dive bar, but a little more hipster. Great selection of beers, but they are not cheap like dive bars. Food was ok, the white trash tator tots were amazing! We don't do poutine or tarot tots in California so these were awesome. My husband got a burrito which was a mistake since being from California were pretty spoiled with legit Mexican food. I got the mac and cheese which was really dry and not very cheesy. We didn't notice the cash only until our server told us after we put out our card, luckily the have an ATM there. I guess that follows dive bar ideals, but in today's times it's just an inconvenience. read more

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