Great selection of beer. Little pricey but worth it. There are cheaper options like the 16oz bottle of Brubaker for $3 or so. Bukowskis isn't on my go to list of bars in the area but it's good nonetheless. Food is ok with a highlight being their sweet potato french fries. If Sunset Grill in Allston closes down because of their lack of a sprinkler system or whatever, this place will be tops on my list for overall beer selection. read more

Living in Back Bay Boylston's selection of bars and restaurants becomes very stale and boring VERY quickly. Walking down this street Friday and Saturday nights can be painful, skanks and bros everywhere (sorry to be a hater), drunk and loud in front of the usual spots. YES, Bukowski's is "dive" but not your average dive at all. A random little place on the corner of Dalton and Boylston. The crowd is generally a good mix of hip meets business crowd. Bring cash, they are not down with cards. Beer and wine, but mostly BEER, the only thing overwhelming about this place is their selection! So many on tap, get a sweet mug if you drink all 99 beers, and Charles Bukowski poetry wraps all along the bar, nice. I'm no beer connoisseur but they certainly have a lot. I mean bastards galore, Ol' Dirty and Arrogant. Maybe don't spend your whole night out here but at least start it or end it hanging out. Good food, American style, all under $10. I had a "date" if you want to call it that here and I was pleased, seeing as any awkward silence was not awkward at all, music and crowds fill in all quiet gaps in conversation (phew)! Okay, forgive me, I'm stopping, all I have to say is there is no harm in trying this place out! read more

If you like craft beer, good music, and an unpretentious bar; this is your spot in Boston. I've only been once, and it was after lunch so I can't speak to the food, but it's the best watering hole I've been to in Beantown. Great selection of brews. I specifically recall ordering a pint of Lagunitas Boston Fusion: a specialty, limited-quantity ale put out by Lagunitas; it was fantastic. Despite not ordering the food, the menu looked like it had some pretty solid greasy- spoon bar fare, if that's what you're looking for. Will definitely be paying a visit the next time I'm in the area. read more

Found this place by chance. I always find the best places when I'm lost!!! This bar has a great selection of craft beer. But unlike most places that have craft beer Bukowski's also has the stuff with the knowledge if the beer. Am B was our bar tender and she knows here stuff. She really made this place for us. Really good sense of humour. Thank you read more

Stop in based on a recommendation from a friend. Get the chip and dip starter. Burgers were delicious, part of the group got the barfly and peanut butter burger. Also the turkey melt which was great. Great selection of beers to choose from, local brews and your national brands. We were there during the day so the atmosphere was quiet but it seemed like it would be fun at night. read more

I used to be a regular here when I lived in the City of Notions. I visited last April with my friend from Chicago and it just isn't the same. The bartender was at first nice but not knowledgeable. Then I asked her about a concern I had about the bill and she quickly mumbled something and walked away. Unprofessional. read more

I was quite surprised that this little cash-only, dive bar was so vegetarian friendly (rest assured, Carnivores, there are plenty of options for you)! The majority of the menu had a vegetarian substitute, including a generous sized veggie dog, which I enjoyed. The cheese dip starter was delicious; tasted like a homemade queso dip with chunks of jalapeños and the chips were piping hot, almost to a fault. I would definitely go back for the grilled cheese sandwich with avocado. I'm not usually a fan of tomatoes, but it complimented the dish well. We enjoyed our meal at the back of the restaurant Though our waitress was a bit more tentative to the "hipster" diners, we were well taken care of. read more

Sweet dive bar steps from the Sheraton in downtown Boston. Great vibe and solid draft list

Tried the peanut butter burger. It was interesting and tasty. Good dive bar. Comfortable ambiance, would definitely be worth visiting.

We loved this place, great local beer selection white trash tots with poutine and cheese where totally kick butt. Cash only spot but worth the visits if any the area. Bartender was too nice but took no stuff which was fun for me watching her harass my boss read more

Does it get any better? This place rocks. Save for the fact that I got cut off for the first time in my life. I mean, really. I have actually vomited on bars and continued to get served. I think it was that feisty bartender playing a cru1el joke on me. To be honest, all the female employees of the place were feisty. And cute. And cool. I love them all. Even though I got cut-off. Maybe not. PM me tomorrow about how I feel. Im drunk now. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Em....... read more

I think my ears are still bleeding from going here and it's been almost a week. The music is sooooo loud. Not a place to go if you going to chill and talk with friend. But a nice well run place none the less That said this is a quaint neighborhood beer bar where you go to down a different beer than bud or miller. The variety is impressive if not a little daughnting. the staff though was very helpful. they walked me through the different types of beer. I had the rue-burger for my meal and it was delicious. a large burger with saurecraut, cheese and russian dressing. It was cooked exactly the way I like it, medium rare. Yum Yum. I'd go back just for the burger read more

I love Buk. I just love the place. It's got character; it's own soul. I can't stand sterile pubs and bars. Awesome beer selection. Burgers are to die-for. (Keep the tourists away, please. LOL!) read more

Totes Amaze Balls!! Had a few snacks! Loved them. We had a ver pleasant bartender/server Susie! She was slammed, but rocked. Granted we were celebrating during the day we enjoyed every second and definitely plan on coming back. Didn't feel corporate and I think people work better in a non-corporate environment and it shows in there service. Manager was pitching in and getting her hands dirty. No hard booze but awesome beer selection. Coming back for sure! read more

It's a cash bar only, which is pretty inconvenient but fine (probably a way for them to avoid reporting income for taxes). The bar tenders were horrendous. We left a tip each time we went up to the bar to grab drinks for our party and the third time someone went up the bartenders took a long time to acknowledge her. She went to order drinks and he goes, well are you actually going to tip this time? Confused, she said we have been tipping and he replied that he heard from his "colleague" down the bar that we were not tipping. We continued to leave a generous drink for that round but that was the last drink I will ever get from that hole in the wall. Long story short, the beer selection does not make up for the sub par service and bad attitudes from the employees. read more

Proper name: Bukaki's 1. Cash only. 2. White trash cheese dip, boom. 3. Fuck New Year's party, is the best New Year's party. 4. Bartender's don't give a shit about you, that's the point. 5. Don't be surprised to rack up a tab. Real Talk Best beer selection in Boston. End Result Really drunk. Rating Beer Smart read more

I always have a hard time choosing a "favorite" spot of any kind. But I can confidently say that Bukowski's is my favorite place to grab a beer in Boston. Their hours are great, their food is also killer, and their beers...the BEERS are one of the best selections I've seen in Boston so far. Having recently gotten into beers, I love to experiment, and this place is perfect for it. In fact, if you really want to experiment, ask the bartender to spin the wheel, and he/she'll bring out whatever you land on. They also give you a very short explanation of the type of beer and where it's from when they bring it out. I love that. It shows that they know their stuff, and they want you to know it as well. My go-to beer so far is the coffee house porter, winter or summer, it's delicious and rich and perfect all the time. My last visit here was quite tarnished only because I was on the world's worst date EVER, but that beer saved me from literally wanting to punch the guy in the face. I've read reviews about the service here, but so far, I haven't experienced any negative attitude from anyone. In fact, from the bouncer to the bartenders, everyone was so friendly! If I HAD to find a negative thing about this place, it would be the cash only deal. But they have an ATM in the front, and honestly, I feel like it adds to the texture and personality of this place. Go Bukowski's read more

you must think i'm pretty obnoxious using all these capital letters. in fact, you might reasonably think i'm screaming at you. the more sensitive among you might be so offended by my textual assault that you'll stop reading and i can't say i'd blame you. that is exactly how i feel about bukowski. the place is narrow and tiny, just a few cramped tables, a long bar, and bathrooms smaller than airplane lavatories; yet the music is so ear-splittingly loud that you'd think you were at the largest club on landsdowne street. there's no need for that kind of torture. the painfully loud music just sets the tone for all the shouting that follows. you shout at your friends, who won't hear you even though you're sitting right next to one another; you shout at the bartender who seems to be ignoring you, even though you're sitting right in front of the taps; and, of course, you shout at your waitress who's so deaf that she writes down the wrong order and later, when she brings your food, you shout when you correct her . . . just as the music dies down so everyone can see who the jerk is shouting at the poor waitress who's just trying to do her job. that vicious cycle of shouted conversations and miscommunication just adds to the cacophonous bukowski din that so many mistake for atmosphere. i'm certain the real charles bukowski wouldn't be caught dead in such a poseur establishment but if on the off-chance he did happen in, i'm equally certain he would beat up most of the patrons. once you get used to the music, though, bukowski is kind of an ok place. there's a huge selection of beer (but no hard liquor) and the food isn't too bad. the last time i was there, they had an oktoberfest menu and i have to say that my wurst stew was pretty darned tasty. it's odd but i think the bartender stopped ignoring me once i removed my tie and put away my blackberry. yeah, it's *that* kind of place. be warned that bukowski is cash only, which makes me wonder how much of each night's take actually gets reported to the irs. that's about all i can think of that might meet with the real bukowski's approval. read more

Bukowki's is a truly professional drinking establishment. Their beer selection is enormous, and in fact there is a notoriously prestigious drinking club attached with trying out all the beers available. The crowd is a good mix of folks, with a nice passion for hops. The late Charles Bukowski would be proud. read more

So what if their menus are ratty? They have a cheetah print bathroom, a beer wheel for their hundreds of brews, and a rockin' staff. I'd just hate to be the dude at the end of the night that has to empty the wells; so much melting ice. I tried some Trippel that started with a B that the barkeep suggested after I told him I like Belgian whites. One swig had me sold. Smuttynose was great, with a silly name and a lychee like aftertaste. Dogs are yummm. Spinach artichoke app was too. Stop complaining. It's a dive bar, folks. read more

Let's start with the important business. This bar is called BUKOWSKI, not Bukowski's. See the picture? Yeah, it says Bukowski. Get it right! Anyway. Enough with my pet peeves. I've been a regular at this bar (well, not so much lately) for going on 7 or 8 years. I've been here during the day, at night and after closing. I've known all of the bartenders (again, not so much lately) and spent time with them outside of the bar and had many-a-date with people who worked here. All that aside, it remains my favorite bar in Boston, by far. The beer selection is unbeatable. The food is mostly standard bar fare but somehow excels. The prices are reasonable with $1.69 dogs and burgers before 8pm ($1 extra additional for fries and cheese). The mac and cheese is oooey-gooey delicious with veg or meat. I also love love the white trash cheese dip (a recipe invented by a former bartender's dad. 'sup Bukowski trivia?). Did I say the beer selection is great? Because it is. Plus, the bartenders know their shit and never let an empty glass sit for more than a few minutes. Well, I can't really speak for the newer bartenders bit the ones who were there for the past gazillion years were great. Most of the good ones have moved on in the past two years. The location can't be beat with a super cheap parking garage next door. The staff are amazing and friendly. Be warned, it's cash only but they have installed an ass-raping ATM machine so you don't have to run a few blocks for cash when the tab arrives. The bar does get excruciatingly loud with the bellowing of drunk people and ear blasting rock on the stereo. This doesn't bother me in the least but if you're looking to have a romantic chit chat kind of date, this is not the place. EDIT: Bukowski has officially been listed under the correct business name. A million thanks! read more

solid four stars. i went to wally's cafe with a couple friends last weekend and it was wwaaaaayyyyyy too crowded so we decided to check out bukowski's since i'd never been before. i was already half in the bag from pullin the ol chug & walk with my roommate first on the way to wally's and then on the way to bukowski's so i can't comment on all the details, but i had a really fun time. this is attributable to several key factors. 1 - crowdedness level. i was delighted that it wasn't packed on a saturday night. me and my roommate easily got seats at the bar and then when the rest of my crew showed up we moved to a table without a wait. awesome. 2 - drink selection. EXTENSIVE. i can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this regard. plenty of old standbys that you'd expect at a beer bar with enough new stuff to keep you interested. can't comment on the prices because i let my roommate do the ordering and just kept giving him money because he only had a debit card and it's cash-only. i think? if it isn't he's in SO much trouble... 3 - friendly crowd! the guy sitting next to me was really cool and the bartender put on a good show of pretending to think me and the roommate were funny and worth talking to. that's all i really expect... 4 - good music. i don't know what they were playing all night but toward the end they put on old crow medicine show and i was enraptured *swoon* could've used more slutty insecure girls, but in order to attract them they probably would have to play shitty music and dumb down the beer menu. and then it'd be filled with douchebag guys and i don't wanna deal with that so i'm happy with things juuuuuuuust the way they are. read more

For the first time in my 35 years on the planet, I experienced true racism tonight. A group of friends and I went to this establishment on a Saturday night looking for some food, drink and a nice time. Unfortunately, all we experienced was VERY poor service. It was made clear upon the first comment of the night from our waitress that "your kind of people" are not welcome in this place. And, if you can believe it, it got worse from there... The worst part is that we loved what it could have been...! The food was great, the beer was frosty and the atmosphere was cool. Our waitress, however, was just plain cold. I'm disgusted by her behavior, her snide commentary on our evening and her demeaning attitude toward my colleagues. I wish I could recommend this hideout to the world to attend - but, unfortunately, this experience has made the place a COMPLETE skip. If others would have felt the horrible attitude presented to my group by our waitress tonight, this place would be out of business within a month. And maybe it should be...? read more

Watch out for flying shattered glass when Sarah M. (smartest bartender in town and clown on duty) decides to open a bottle of champagne with a knife in this place. I say, if you are having dinner across from the bar and see any of their bartenders grab a bottle of champagne, duck for cover. You see, it seems to be Sarah's method of choice to open champagne bottles sliding her knife along the side of the bottle until it hits the cork and pops it. In her case until she breaks the neck of the bottle and the shattered pieces of glass hit your face as you are sitting at a table peacefully grabbing dinner and a beer. She even had the nerve to say the blood running down my chin was ketchup! Absolutely no regard for safety, considering they are allowed to do this in a place that is basically a hallway with several rows of glass mugs hanging from the ceiling. I'll have to wear the scar on my chin forever, but will never set foot in there again. You've been warned. read more

Justin G from Apple is a complete and utter tool bag, clearly adulting is hard for this individual. The bartender for your info is a world class change thrower, you should appreciate the beauty when in its presence! The bar clearly states all it rules and customs on your way in, clearly you should get off your IPhone and pay attention. YELP gives idiots like you some sense of purpose, hooray for the participation ribbon generation. I just hope someday you realize what an insignificant tick on a dogs balls you truly are and act accordingly. Good Day! read more

I used to love Bukowski's Tavern (and of course ONLY the one in Hynes, never the one in Inman Sq-ech-a plague upon that parody of a tavern in Cambridge!), really, I think I went there like three times a week, but in the last year or so have been turned off by it. The chairs are uncomfortable, the set up is wicked awkward, but really, the music is just too damn loud-I mean really, its stupid how loud it is. It is a small place, a hallway really, and the speakers are right fuckin there, man. It really makes any kind of group conversation impossible and forget have three friends sitting at the stools-you can never hear what the person two seats away is saying. It becomes a game of f'n telephone! BUT-why I will still three stars: 1) Sweet potato fries. Holy SH*T! Delicous-crispy, soggy, thin, flavourful with this mayonaisse sauce thing, huge portions, absolutely worth it. Best in Boston. 2) Veggie burger happy hour specials and just a generous portion of vegetarian food. 3) BEERBEERBEERBEER-so many kinds of beer. So damn good. Everyone is knowledgable about their beer. Selection is outstanding. 4) Never had a bad waiter/ress experience and the bartenders can be really funny. 5) Location is pretty good-right near Other Side and TC's Lounge-hhheeeeyyyy 6) I witnessed the democratic loss here and almost had a nervous breakdown, that fueled copious amounts of beer into my system that almost led to me and a VT hippie friend beating up three teenagers with BUSH CHENEY stickers all over their bodies in a dark alley in South End (no lie). 7) Not a bad place to bring a date at all...or a break up. Lets be honest. So while Buks is very lovable, I just don't feel the same way I used to about it, I just don't crave it like I used to. Maybe its not Buks...its me. read more

I live in a "dive bar" town. Providence Rhode Island. This joint is the best!! Great tunes. Great people!!

Stopped in for a drink with friends on Saturday. Had the rudest waitress. She looked at me like I was mentally retarded when I asked for a vodka drink. How was i suppose to know it was Beer and Wine only? She presented us with beer only menus. I ordered two Sols just to try to drowned out the country music. I asked her if we could make the music stop and she all but slapped me. LOL! I ducked when I presented her a Card to pay and she screamed that it was CASH ONLY. I don't think we were "cool" enough for that place. I don't think we'll be back. Cool wall art. read more

I hate how disappointed I am in this bar. I wish I were here writing a glowing 5 star review. Why? Because the beer selection is amazing and interesting. So what happened? Honestly, I have never felt more uncomfortable around bartenders in my entire life. Living in New York for the past few years, I've become accustomed to snark. I even like it to a degree. But the 2 female bartenders were (not so quietly) making fun of ALL the patrons at the bar, asked me what I wanted to order at least 10 times in 5 minutes (why the RUSH?!) and then... a poor young graduate happened to walk in with a resume looking for a barback job. They absolutely RIPPED on him the second he left. And I lost my mind and started to cry. I'm not that unstable (normally, ha ha) or blindly empathetic, but given that everyone I know is experiencing hardships in this crap economy.... the poor guy seemed "nervous" - they ranted and laughed and spewed asshole comments after him. He should be nervous! These girls are witches in a disgusting hole in the wall bar in a parking lot. He's better than this. And, frankly, so am I. I'm taking my cash (yup - it's cash only. How HIPSTER.) and going elsewhere. Boston, I'm really trying to like you. But I felt like I was in high school watching kids get picked on. And it brought back all the worst memories. One star is too generous but Yelp won't let me give "zero." Hope the manager reads this - YOUR BARTENDERS NEED THERAPY. read more

Yeah... was a nice bar till I met the barkeep. Almost tackled me in crosswalk for going to atm since it's cash only. Sorry for trying to get money to pay bill. Thanks again for kicking me out for not tipping you after you acted like the biggest bitch I've ever had pour me a beer. Be sure to tell everyone I know to NOT come here. Sorry everyone in Boston is scum that doesn't pay their tab. read more

This place sucks. I have no idea why would anyone choose to go to Bukowski's Tavern, if they do, its probably their first and the last time. Beer: overpriced half filled glasses. please buy your own beer. Food: nothing special, look somewhere else. please cook your own food. Ambience: nothing to do with bukowski. read more

The beer selection is intimidatingly huge, but the Book O' Beer on each table gives a pretty nice description of what you're looking at. I was pretty happy with the beers I got, they were pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. Best of all if you're really stuck and/or flaky, they have a Wheel of Beer on a wall you can spin to choose for you. Buyer beware, if you spin it, you have to buy it. I can't comment too much about the food as I didn't get a burger (dumb of me) and one of the orders I did make the waitress apparently forgot completely. I won't hold it against her though, chalk it up to human error. The food selections were very varied and pretty reasonably priced, but yea, the beer will make up for it. Since you're going to end up blowing a lot of cash here on beer, at least blow it on something really good or obscure. You'll feel a little cheated if you end up getting something common but payed premium prices for it. One feature you'll notice above the bar is a long array of mugs, some customized with bumper stickers and the like. This is the bar's "Dead Author's Club" (see it's like that Dead Poets Club thing, that movie with Robin Williams, ain't it grand? harhar). Hypothetically if you drink every beer on their 99 beer-long list in 6 months, you get a customized mug that they stow above the bar, which you then use as your personal stein when you visit. Each stein has the name of a certain author. Sounds cool and definitely do-able in 6 months, but when we asked the waitress about it, we got the bad news: there's no more room for mugs, so they're not accepting any new members. We have to wait for somebody to croak first! Geez. So to whoever claimed Thomas Hardy in the Dead Author's Club, watch your back, I'm yearning for a super stein at Bukowski's... read more

This place tries to pretend it isn't pretentious....but it is. The bartender who served me acted like he was doing me a huge favor by bringing me an overpriced beer. Bunch of posers. read more

I've been to Bukowski's about five times. Sometimes with groups, sometimes with just a single friend. I've had mediocre to positive experiences the first four times but my most recent visit has turned me off entirely. Worst drinking and dining experience of my life. I wish I was kidding. My last time there will remain my last time there. If the staff can't be bothered to make eye contact, or for lack of better term, work, then I can't be bothered to pay. Friend and I went out for dinner and drinks after work one not so busy night there. We put in our order with Waitress A and received our food (which sadly, was very good) and a beer each. Maybe I should have called 911, because I never saw her again. Oh wait, yes I did! She was hanging out with her friends on the patron side of the bar and occasionally checked on her superior tables. Funny because I wish I got to get drunk with my friend at Bukowski's. Not that night. In fact Waitress A gave Waitress B our table. A couple that had been seated after us next to us had their drinks refilled, were checked in with, got their check and left before we even got a "hows the food?". In fact, we never got a "hows the food?" From A to B, both sucked. No eye contact from either waitress and never were asked if we wanted to refill our water (we did!) or if we wanted another beer (never thought I'd be that desperate to get drunk inside a bar) or if we wanted more food (you betcha). We waited til our beer was warm, our water gone, our throats dry, our stomachs growling and our white trash cheese dip congealed. No check, no eye contact, no nothing. All we wanted was to get drunk, fat and broke. Our waitress didn't even give us a chance. So we walked out. Didn't even have to run. Wasn't a dine and dash so much as a thirst and amble. Because we had gone with the intention of celebrating I call it the Bukowski's Birthday Meal. Apparently, you can eat for free! Not really, but best money I never spent. I felt bad for awhile because it's not my nature to ever do that. I would have loved to pay for the meal and I would have still tipped at least 20%+ because I believe the karma in tipping well keeps me out of working for tips. Anyway I was validated not even two weeks later when a different group of friends went to the bar, had the same Hateress and got into a direct confrontation with her because only one of them was eating and the rest were just ordering beers and whatnot. But hey, at least that's one way to get her attention. Hateress wound up kicking out a group of them, or should I say having her boyfriend/bartender do it. One of these group is a waitress/hostess herself and was appalled at the level of bad attitude the Hateress had. Seriously, get a new job. And consider growing your hair out. For what it's worth, I was impressed that they stocked a beer that I love (Brother Thelonious). I was less impressed when the bartender opened it, as it was a 22oz for $20. I know the same beer the same size sells for $8.95 at Blanchards. I don't hold that against Bukowskis, but I would have liked the heads up before he opened it. Maybe next time. Oh wait.. Never again. I will not go into the Dalton St. location, the Inman Sq. location or any other Pukeowski's. Didn't spend any money, but we sure paid for it. read more

I stopped in Bukowski's twice during my stay in Boston for a conference. It's a humble dive with amazing burgers. It is CASH ONLY but they have an ATM onsite with only a $2 transaction fee. Service was great! read more

Beer = good, very very good with many many selections. Food = bad, as in not good...verging on average at best. Don't get me wrong, I like the place and really like the atmosphere. Sometimes I start at the other end of Boylston and work may up the string of bars, ending at Bukowshi's. It has warm feeling that you don't find at many of the bars in that area. Plus, I generally don't get food here and when I do it is usally more of a snack than dinner. The one time I did go for the purpose of having dinner I was pretty dissappointed. Anyway, go for the beer variety and you won't be sorry! Go for the grub and you might wish you had started elsewhere. read more

The bartender was rude. There were 2 screens, 1 big 1 small. He refused to play the Celtics game on the big screen b/c he's watching hockey on it, and he was the only one. The drinks were overpriced. Won't come back read more

From the outside this place looks right up my alley - gloomy and unassuming. My girlfriend and I have been meaning to go here for months and we finally got a chance to check it out this past weekend. We stepped in the door to find the place barren, other than 3 patrons sitting at the bar. Perfect. We grabbed a couple stools and started looking over the beer list. Before even being greeted the bartender came over and made an incredibly insulting comment for no reason. We immediately got up and left. For such a divey bar there's no reason to be so pretentious and rude. I'll never step foot in this place again. Even if Jon Snow was giving out free horns of ale from behind the bar, I still wouldn't go back. read more

Bunch of assholes just treated our group like shit. From the door man getting pesky with the out of town IDs to the rude service staff, it was a real disappointment compared to the Bukowski I have known thru the years. Severely disappointing. read more

I like this place.. I think I might just go there today. If you're looking for a place to grab a drink with friends, you'll want to come here. The atmopshere is somewhat divey (in the sense that it is .trying. to be though), the music is good, and the beer selection is enormous. oh! and the menu is good for a chuckle if you've never been here before. The downtown location has more of a dive feel to it. Even though it's much smaller, I prefer it. read more