There's a lot of things to like about Bukowski's, but the main reason that people come is the terrific beer selection: They serve over a hundred brews, many of which are hard to find elsewhere. (Note: Just because they OFFER a lot of beers doesn't mean you can AFFORD them all - a lot of them cost over ten bucks a pop). If you want to try a beer you've never had before, or are just looking for an obscure personal fave, this is the place to go. I love the atmosphere here as well: They're always playing cool music (Pixies, Clash, etc.), and even though it draws quite a crowd, I've always managed to get a stool at the bar. The bartenders serve you pretty quickly. I'm not the most extraverted guy in the world, but every time I come here I always end up chatting with the people nearby. The conversation typically (if not always) begins with inquiries about what you're drinking, as the beer enthusiasts who patronize the joint are always eager to learn first-hand about the different beers available. In fact, the friendliness of the clientele contributes to the experience as much as the beer. One time this girl (a complete stranger) even let me have as many of her sweet potato fries as I wanted - I think I had more than she did. (The fries were decent but not exceptional). All in all, this is probably my favorite bar in America. Lots of beer, great music, and really cool people to drink with. What more could you want? read more

Came here for the first time this weekend with a friend, and had a pretty good experience. The beer selection is great and reasonably priced, though there was one raspberry concoction imported from Belgium that I was dying to try but came with a $14 price tag that I wasn't drunk enough to put up. Oh well, what I did have was pretty tasty. This seems like it would be a nice place to come for a date, though as the night went on the music got pretty loud. Not the most conducive to conversation but if you can get a seat at the bar the stools are close enough together that you won't have to scream too much louder than you would at any other bar. Minus one star for the layout in there. Even when the place isn't full it is CRAMPED. Very long and thin, and if you need to pee forget it. Not a place to come with a large group or to meet new people. Also, kind of an awkward location. But for me, meeting a friend to catch up was the perfect excuse for Bukowski's. And I'll definitely be returning. read more

1 star for GIANT Nachos! 1 star for delicious burger for only $5 (some type of special) 1 star for location and decor -2 stars for not accepting visa/mastercard... read more

This is a good spot to know in Boston. Gorgeous burgers and an amazing selection of beers, accompanied by cool music and a dive scene to make it all a good laugh. Love it! * How can you not love a place that serves you a fried egg on a rare burger. Mmmmm. Heaven. Plus all those beers! read more

Beer was plentiful salad ok Hanging with tradeshow friend. Anyplace named for Buk gets 3 stars without doing anything more. read more

great place to come for lunch if you work at the PRU if you want something that will make you warm and fuzzy and dying for a nap. But the best thing about this hole in the wall is the BEER I mean they have a shitload of freaking beer. read more

Loved this place! Completely agree with a lot of reviews. I appreciate finding these hidden places in the city. It's small, divey, and really relaxed. The beer list is endless and I recommend going with their seasonal brews. In the winter I had some really strong ale and had a good buzz after only 2 drinks! A friend of mine got a mac n cheese dog and tater tots which were great, and definitely a bit more creative than your typical bar food. The men's bathroom only fits one person at a time so there was a line most of the night, but I highly recommend for a low key night for beers. read more

We had the most amazing peanut butter hot dog! Beer selection was good, not great. Good atmosphere. CASH ONLY. read more

This is all you need to know: Beer and wine only. Check. Cash only. Check. Food is great. Comfort food, not veggie. Check. Service is great. Check. Very chill dive bar. Check. read more

Great staple that was right across from our hotel, loved the atmosphere (dive-like, chill), bartender was very knowledgeable about the beer selection and made us feel very welcome. Try the burgers, you will be satisfied. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Tried the Baxter Bootleg Fireworks and definitely saw fireworks afterwards - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Beer selection is fantastic now. Yoanna has really upped their game. Cans are still occasionally past date, but c'mon...it's all about the taps. Awesome food. Awesome people. And to you reviews saying "bartender was rude"...being a regular here and seeing the shit that people give the bartenders, I guarantee if they were rude to you it's because you deserved it. "Gay bar with a literary theme" *wink* read more

Do You lIke great Beers? Go Here for their taps and casks. The food was pretty good too. Pub Extreme yummy yum. The Bartender threw some extra food our way, thanks man I really like being at your bar, dude. Wasted on your 15% beers. thanks read more

Awesome: Beer Selection, Great place to start your night out at the top of Boylston, The type of people that hang out at this place Not Awesome: Going outside to change your mind. The place is small and can get crowded. read more

This place was pretty cool. Seems like a pretty decent locals hangout. Things I liked.... - Kitchen is open late with lots of different food. (1am ish) - Tons of different beers. Literally they have a book. - Not full of tourists Things I didn't like... - They are a cash only bar - Its very small - beer only This place was decent. Nothing too special but an alright place to grab a quick beer but I wouldn't make this my final destination. read more

I get a kick out of this place. There's a lot of characters in here. It can be a bit loud, it's cash only, the bartenders are usually talking to their friends, and it's definitely not for everyone. Despite all this, I like coming here. It's a fun, affordable place if you know what you're in for. The beer list intimidates me but I'm up for the challenge. There's no wine or liquor. It's not a very big menu but everything we've had has been tasty. Nothing fancy, but good for those nights when you need to grab a bite while you're out and don't want to get too fancy or choosing from the Boylston bars. It's usually tough to find a seat during busy hours. They post funny things on Facebook, and I think their "we'll pay you $1 to come here on New Year's Eve" thing is hilarious. They know exactly who they are and what they offer and I appreciate that. If you have the right expectations, it's worth checking out. read more

We are staying at the Sheraton right across the street and loved this place! We enjoyed some beer and a burger one afternoon, and it could not have been better. The food is great, the bar is a perfect dive, and the beer selection is great. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a dive with a homey feel. Also, it is cash only, but they do have an ATM. read more

Great little spot! Stopped in after a late night of drinking to grab a bite. This place was lots of fun and the bartenders made it even better! Easy walk from the Sheraton and Hilton Hotels. read more

It's a ok little dive bar. They have a good craft beer selection. The food is a little expensive for what you get but hey it's downtown Boston. I had a grilled cheese with tomato bacon and avocado and it was surprisingly bland. The French fries I stole from my husband were good. But for a sandwich 2 hotdogs and 2 beers over $50 was a little much. I would actually recommend eating at Summer Shack up the street and just coming here for the craft beers. Also it is cash only so make sure you come prepared. read more

A bit of a dive, but a fun, laid back dive. Get a personalized list of their 100 or so beers and try them all to secure for yourself a big beer mug named after your choice of dead authors. The mug gets you discounted beer later on. Young, tattoo-bearing staff are friendly, and the bar offers great burger specials. read more

Bukowski Tavern - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is one of my favorite places to drink beer in Boston. My friend, Nina and I had one of the funniest nights here. We laughed all night, talking with the bar's regulars and random people with fake accents. It was the same night that I tasted La Fin Du Monde for the first time...love at first sip! The beer menu they provide gives you a nice background on each beer type which really helps me to figure out what I am in the mood to drink. The service is great...the last time I went the bartender was happy to help us select a tasty stout made by the Stone brewery. I have never had a meal here but the menu has vegan options, so it's only a matter of time... Oh, and the decorations in the bathroom are fun :) read more

saw the 5 star review on yelp and walked over to have a couple pops after my haircut. Kind of a dive bar -- cool location but feels like a train inside. Nice cold beer... really cool bartender. They gave me a little troube going into the bar cause I only had my passport and they said they need a MASS ID. Showed them my credit cards, etc and that I am 42 and they let me in had a hot dog too and it was pretty good. read more

Small place and decent bottle beer selection and a small draft beer list. Server was not the most knowledgeable about beer. Sweet potato fries were pretty expensive $7.25 for a small basket. Burger was ok but the bun was plain run-of-the-mill white bread. read more

** One thing to note is that they don't take credit cards. There's a generic ATM in the entry way, but I've forgotten on a couple occasions and had to pay the generic ATM fee. Plan ahead and bring some greenbacks. ** I'm a fan of this place. Even though it's close to Berklee, Kings, and Boylston/Newbury St., it never seems overly crowded. You can go there for a bite to eat or just some drinks, and it's got an awesome ambiance too. I try to get a different beer each time I go, because they have a really unique (awesome) beer list. I've also had the buffalo tenders (quite a large serving which is nice) and the poutine tots several times. Both are amazing and tasty. read more

I loved this place! I came by here twice during my short stay in Boston. It's right near where I was staying. It reminded me of one of my favorite places back home. Great beer selection, good food, great staff. It's a great place to enjoy a delicious beer, and people watch. If you're in Boston's Back Bay, and you like good beer, you need to come here. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Barfly burger and a local brew. - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A favorite dive bar with a tasty beer selection. Grab a stool next to someguy who is working on his 25th beer and enjoy the local flavor. A favorite place to have a few beers and head to the movies. If Hammersley's is one side of the food and beverage world in Boston this most certainly is the exact opposite but fantastic in a 'Bukowski' type of way. "We are like roses that have never bothered to bloom when we should have bloomed and it is as if the sun has become disgusted with waiting" ― Charles Bukowski read more

I love Bukowski's. Fantastic beer bar. Been going here for 14 years, beginning when I was a student at Berklee in the early 2000's. I love the no-nonsense casual vibe. I love that the patrons are mostly locals, with a few lucky tourists who stumble upon it by accident. I love the food (it's always delicious). And, obviously, I love the beer. They know what they're doing here. If I were *forced* to name a con, it would be that they play their music really loud and it can be hard to have a conversation. (The solution to which is to drink more beer!) But this can also change throughout the day depending on who's choosing the music. It's not a huge deal. The cash only policy has never bothered me. read more

Peanut butter burger was pretty tasty, and Mac and cheese was good. Pints of beer are 8.00+ So three beers and two dishes were 49.63. Kind of $$$ for a hole in the wall. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Peanut butter burger and mac and cheese with bread and butter - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Spot on! This place was a cool bar, with friendly people, and great food. The tots were incredible and I highly recommend everyone spinning the wheel for a beer!!! read more

Arrived on a busy Friday evening. All tables were full so hostess directed us to bar. Beer menu is unnecessarily large but prices were cheap. Drink menu was more manageable to navigate and prices were similarly cheap. The hostess provided the only decent service of the evening. Service is very slow. Waiter did not write down the orders and had to ask us several times to confirm what we wanted. The burgers were sloppily made and meat however fresh was not seasoned at all. The flavor combinations were decent but the execution was poor. Instead of a $16 burger it was more like a $5 burger. Lower quality than five guys for sure. The atmosphere is tacky. The same Edison bulb type of wannabe hipster atmosphere you'll find all over Brooklyn. All in all it was a slightly below average experience for dining. If you are just looking for drinks it is a viable option however. Cheap and lots of room at the bar. read more

Love this place. In my opinion one of the only true bars left in boston (Sullivan's tap). The only difference is this place sells food. Plus they have miller high life on tap. Cash only. read more

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Let me start by saying that I like this place... but it needs better management. The atmosphere is very cool with nods to Bukowski scattered throughout. They play a lot of alternative and punk music (at least at night, not sure about the day time). The food is pretty good, better than you would expect... although portions are very small for the price. What this place really lacks is management. The service is terrible every time that I go. The bar almost always has open seats and even when it's dead, it takes about 10-15 minutes for the bartenders to notice you. Usually they hang by the kitchen window and shoot the poo with the cooks. Oh! And they charge you for SAUCE. I had to pay 75 cents for sauce for my chicken. Wtf? The Cambridge location is far better with much better service and free dipping sauce. I would suggest stopping here for a drink if you aren't in a rush. read more

I mean given my fiancée and I are huge Charles Bukowksi fans the surprise to find this tavern across from our hotel really felt serendipitous. We didn't expect much given it's dive bar look and feel... not to mention if you know Bukowksi, refinement wasn't his thing. However, their selection of craft beers was really amazing, in addition to their friendliness and knowledge of the brews. They were quick to explain how they focus on keeping their beer lines clean as to not ever convolute the taste of brews when kegs are switched. This type of attention to detail doesn't usually come with a dive bar. Also completely unexpected was their wide range of delicious and craft "bar food" , that included a ton of vegetarian options. All in all I have nothing negative to say about this place. I guess if I had to pick 1 less than perfect thing about Bukowksi tavern is they're cash only. Not a problem for us... but if you aren't prepared for it, you might have to hit the on site ATM. read more

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Still thinking about the loaded tater tots I had!!! I've never had them before, and now I'm wishing every restaurant had them! Such a fun time eating there with great atmosphere and great food. read more

Bukowski's is the best "dive" bar you can find. It's narrow, loud, busy, and a great place to hang out. The poetry on the walls and the music selection play right into the namesake's taste, and it's safe to say that if you like Bukowski the author, you'll dig the bar too. Other important notes: cash only, fantastic beer selection but no hard liquor. read more

Excellent selection of local and regional craft beers on tap. Unlike other reviewers, I found the bar staff to be very professional, knowledgable and efficient, if not friendly. Given snowy conditions, I was delighted to find a place near my hotel that had more than Sam Adams and Harpoon on tap. Food was impressive. I will definitely seek this place out next time I find myself staying in the Back Bay. Bring cash or an ATM card. read more

Great beer selection both on draft and in bottles, much bigger food menu than I expected. Unique atmosphere that makes it worth bringing cash. read more

I tried to order an Irish car bomb, a green bud light and a shot of Jameson on st. Patrick's day weekend to charge to my credit cats. The bartenders - Yoanna and Steph couldn't have been more polite in telling me that I was an idiot, since Bukowski's serves none of these things, and is cash only. Instead I had a Lawson's sip of sunshine which was fucking delicious (and has a 100 on beeradvocate), as well as a two roads DIPA. Excellent beer, great good, great service. #fuckthehaters read more

This was the first place we went to after arriving in Boston for a long weekend. I had sourced it out based on its extensive beer list. Everything was fine, very average food, nice selection of beers, and service was fine. We left a tip that would have been on par with the same experience had back home. We were absolutely mortified when the waitress clarified how much change we wanted back. She asked where we were from and that typically in Boston, tips start at 20%. She explained that they are very reliant on tips and that we should know that as we go to other places while here. I get it, and we weren't trying to be rude by not tipping more, we just didn't realize. I just don't think it was appropriate to say that to a customer. It left us feeling really bad and was a weird way to start a trip. I did some googling and it says 15-20% is typical so I don't know what to believe. read more

Girl with dark hair, glasses, and a nose ring needs to be fired before we ever step back into that door. She seriously was the most rude waitress I have ever encountered in 6 years of living in Boston. We were trying out the wheel that would tell us what we had to drink (reason we tried out the bar, friends had said it was a good time to risk the gamble), and she told us we couldn't stand in front of it even though the bar was practically empty. She first said "are you even sitting at the bar?", then "ok well it can't be here"... Moments later, she's leaning on literally the same section of the bar talking to someone now sitting in front of it. Nice work, lost our service of buying those drinks to be able to chat it up with someone else. If a manager had been there all 5 of us were ready to say how quickly we wanted to leave after our encounter with her telling us to move for no reason. Even if there was a legitimate reason, learn some manners when you work in the industry... that's how you make money.. read more

I had high expectations after seeing this on the Food Network website. I was disappointed. Average on a good day. Service was good, friendly, helpful... but the food- the burgers at least... it might be good after a night of drinking. But sober me was unhappy. I guess that is why that have such a good beer list. You can get drunk and then the burgers will be good. The white trash poutine was just that- so I suppose it is named appropriately! read more