I moved away from Boston a while ago and, while so much has changed, it is comforting to come back to a place that's been a family business for 5 generations. Great service, delicious food, and the perfect pint of Guinness. read more

Proper auld Irish boozer. Bunch of locals and Guinness enthusiasts after primemutton's top score. Bit of initial wait ahead of St Paddy's weekend for our properly poured pints and homey food as the third generation Foley was solo hustling around, serving and bartending for the entire double sided pub. Curry chips, beef stew, corn beef sandwich all fantastic. Oldest authentic family-run Irish bar in the city with a ton of history in it's walls. read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

JJ Foley's Cafe in Boston carries a kind of unselfconscious charm that feels increasingly rare. Its old-fashioned décor evokes a time when pubs didn't try so hard to look "authentic." The walls tell stories, the lighting is comfortably dim, and the place feels genuinely lived-in rather than styled for Instagram. It's the sort of space that invites lingering, conversation, and a pint or two more than you planned. The food is solid if not exceptional, hitting the marks you expect from a Boston institution of its kind. You won't find inventive plating or culinary surprises here, but that's not what JJ Foley's is about. It's a place that trades innovation for consistency, which in itself has value. The main drawback comes when the place fills up. Service becomes noticeably strained, and something as simple as getting a drink refill can take long enough to test your patience. When it's quieter, the staff are friendly and attentive, but at peak hours the experience slides from cozy to crowded. Still, JJ Foley's endures not because it's perfect, but because it knows exactly what it is: an honest, old Boston pub that's still standing tall while others try to chase trends. It's imperfect, familiar, and worth the visit. read more

Fun Irish Pub in Boston. Great Guinness pour, and food was excellent. Had the fish n chips. Turkey burger was also outstanding!

What a nice little Irish pub! After a dinner nearby, we wanted to keep the fun going and stopped by for a nightcap. The atmosphere (music, decor, seating, even the games on the TV) was total quintessential Irish pub. I got the Downeast on tap and it was delicious. The bartender was super friendly and had a thick Irish accent which really added to the vibe, haha. I'd love to come back here to try some of their food. read more

For the first time, in many years of traveling and interacting with humans around the world, I feel a desire to post a review. I am posting a negative review, because I was treated poorly. I have never felt so uncomfortable and unwelcome in a business, until today. Unfortunately, the bartender was having a bad night and decided to take out on me. I feel that it was random and not necessarily directed at me, but definitely felt by us. Hopefully this was due to his insecurities and inability to manage his emotions. Hopefully he is willing to look past his difficulties and respond to me directly. Will try your place again, next time we are in Boston. First time I have been motivated to post anything. read more

If I could give somewhere a 10/10 star review, it would be here. I've been coming to foleys for 5 years now and have gotten to know the bartenders and waiters who are all super friendly and give you a good laugh. My favorites (and there are many) are the French dip, chicken wings, cowboy cheeseburger, tots, and chowder. We've tried what feels like everything on the menu, and I always keep an eye out for their specials. I've come here to watch some games and it's a great space to do so. Love coming here with friends and letting them in on my favorite pub and restaurant in the city! :) read more

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This old-school Irish pub / old police bar in the South End exudes Boston Irish-pub-ness. Nice dark woody interior and comfortable booths inside. Great friendly staff will take your order for a nice cold glass of beer from the tap, great prices and selection here too. Lots of space inside, lots of bar seating, and plenty of tables and booths. The food is delicious, too! The fish and chips were fantastic and the batter was very nice and audibly crunchy - and the fish was flakey and delicate. The fries were nice and crisp, too. The burgers are hearty and juicy and cooked to your desired doneness. If you're in the South End and wanting some hearty pub food, this place has you covered! read more

Great food Large portions Friendly service Bahhhatonn chaaaam And weekly trivia is lots of fun read more

I called on Saturday to make a dinner reservation for Tuesday eve (St. Patricks Day). Had to leave a message, and asked to be called back. Never heard back so I called again Monday. Guy who answered was abrupt and told me he couldn't check for my reservation because they don't take reservations for St. Patrick's Day. OK then. So we just went in for lunch on St.P day expecting maybe a chance to get a table? We stood at the front door upon entering for a good 3-4 minutes before even seeing any employee, when finally the bartender appeared from the back. He totally ignored us and went about his business. After another 3-4 minutes he glanced our way and shouted "Things aren't looking good". Looking around, there were several empty tables, and some even had "Reserved" signs on them, including two seats at the bar... this in the place where they "don't take reservations on St. Patty's day"!! After another minute or two of being ignored, I approached the bartender to ask what he meant and if we might sit at the table over in the corner that was unoccupied, he answered "Sure... good luck with that". Needless to say, at this point it was clear no one there wanted our patronage or money, so we left. Total rudeness does not win over customers. I would never attempt to go here ever again and would warn you that the attitude here is very bad. "Good Luck"! read more

This is a review of the food and service, not the bar/drinks. The food was very good pub food. Both the food and theme in the restaurant really felt just like a real pub in Europe. The duck poutine and the fish and chips were both very good. Portion sizes were huge and the service was very nice. I really have no complaints. I'd go back again for sure! read more

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This business charges a 4% credit card surcharge that it disguises as a cash discount on top of the listed menu prices. This is an illegal business practice, and I have submitted a complaint to the Attorney General's Office to correct this issue. Furthermore, the food is not very good. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich that tasted very bad. When we raised the issue of the credit card surcharge with the manager, he refused to correct the issue. read more

Easily the worst customer service and bartending ever. What pub has 3 bartenders while customers have an hour wait time for a pint? Absolutely criminal. read more

Great spot to go out and drink, bar tenders are quick and decent crowd shows up. Worth the visit

What a great little Irish pub! You already know it's good when there are a bunch of regulars sitting at the bar on a Sunday afternoon. Since I've heard great things about Foley's, I was expecting it to be crowded, but we were one of the only groups there for lunch when we visited which was a nice surprise. We ordered some drinks and got Fish & Chips and the Foley Burger to split. I was really impressed with the quality and price of the food, especially considering how close to downtown we were. The fish were flakey and tender, clearly very fresh. The fries and tartar sauce had huge portions, which I appreciated. The burger was very good and well seasoned. If I were to come back, I'd probably order a burger with less toppings, since they kept slipping out when I tried taking a bite. Still, I really enjoyed the food and the overall pub experience.. it feels like a hometown hole-in-the-wall! read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Fish and Chips - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We love this place! When we visit Boston, we make a point to go here! The duck poutine fries are a must, but we haven't tried anything here that disappointed us. Great neighborhood bar. read more

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Was in Boston for a conference and the convention center was surrounded by chains. I wanted a local Irish bar with good beer and fish and chips. JJ Foley's was recommended by the hotel and it was perfect. Jerrimah at the bar was fantastic and I had two perfect Boston experiences here. In Phoenix we don't have good fish or Yuengling and JJ Foley's had both. Fantastic time sitting at the bar and enjoying the Boston experience exactly how I wanted. Great place. read more

Stopped in here today after leaving Back Bay en route to an Artist's opening on Harrison Ave. This is my kind of place with that mix of dim lighting, padded booths, epic corner seating and room for a party of 8 or 10 to park their butts and enjoy a couple of rounds of drinks uninterrupted. Waitress was ridiculously fast and effusive in tending to our needs and the place gave off that air of welcoming hooligans and tourists alike. read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Jamesons and a Sweet Tea - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A bit out of the way and rough around the edges, JJ Foleys is a fun spot for drinks on Boston's South End. A classic Boston pub, this spot features dark wood interiors and a bartender in a white shirt and bow tie, and is almost like stepping back in time. Come in late and have fun observing the local cast of characters. read more

Went on a Sunday night so it was packed with sunday football watchers. Very loud atmosphere so you could talk about anything and no one would notice. Food took forever to get ordered and was self seating. Definitely understaffed but the old man who was our server was sweet and very friendly. Made the wait a lot better. I ordered the shrimp and scallop linguine pasta and it was very flavorful and definitely packed a punch with the spice (don't recommend to anyone who can't handle spicy food) the scallops and shrimp were tender and not over cooked which is pretty good for bar food. I was a little weary about ordering it. The tater tots were strong on the truffle and were good and tasted exactly as one would expect truffle parmesan tate tots to taste so it wasn't anything special. The loaded nachos were alright. They weren't bad or amazing but that's saying a lot considering I'm not a fan of loaded nachos. But my boyfriend loved it and housed them lol. They had enough of everything and none of the flavors were overwhelming. read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - shrimp & scallop Linguini Pasta, Cowboy Burger - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Yuengling and Chowder. It was after the Sunday football and had the place almost to ourselves. Lighting was dark for intimacy and "vintage" decor inside. read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - New England Clam Chowder bowl - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Covid review: Came in August. Cool and chill divey bar in the downtown area. Its nothing special. The drinks are fairly priced. Nice beer selection. Cool staff. The fries are good too, we had to buy something to eat in order to drink, not sure if Boston still requires that. Bar was clean and good music blasting. read more

Great place, good food. Great location and service. Good drink selection, too. Had a burger, but the menu is solid every time we've come here. read more

Happened upon this place while visiting Boston in October 2023. It's an old school Irish bar, with big bartenders wearing white shirts and ties. Just the type of place we look for. A lot of dark wood trim and old stools and tables. It is an old place, it isn't a place that was built to look old, it's the real deal. It's easy walking distance from the financial district and the Aquarium. If you like authentic old bars, you will like Folley's. read more

Best clam chowder. The bartenders are the best and have excellent service. I would recommend going a Friday early evening so you can let traffic die down in a cool environment. read more

Chill bar atmosphere. Bartenders are extremely competent and the drinks were great! Went to watch football with friends and had an amazing time read more

Warning... don't let the reasonable prices fool you. The serving sizes are huge! I had a bowl of French Onion Soup and I'm pretty sure it would have fed a small family. It was good, but I was pretty much full after eating about 3/4 of the bowl. The Rachel Sandwich (also large) was also very good. Very fresh, and I really liked the Russian Dressing. I also ordered a side of the Mac and Cheese, which I took home with me... because I was full... and it was big enough to be a main course. Overall the food was good, I really like the bar and the prices, but the waitress should let you know how super sized everything is! read more

A great bar with wonderful bar food. This is a great place for friends to gather. The fig and goat cheese pizza was delicious. We also got the duck poutine fries which were unbelievable! read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Duck Poutine Fries - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Excellent onion soup and chowder. Wide selection of pub food or entrees to satisfy. Did tacos are great (when on the menu) and excellent Sunday brunch. read more

We came here after an art exhibition in the SOWA and it was one of the finer pubs we've ever come across - and this was mainly due to the service. The restaurant area was quite full and so was the bar. We quickly realized one sole lad was managing all tables and the bar! He was quick, pleasant, and completely overwhelmed. This place wouldn't have been open without this young man and yet he persevered. We had a lovely meal (we all loved our sizable portions and the deliciousness!) and we were heartened by the way this young man strived to make our late lunch delightful. This business is VERY lucky to have him. This was Friday, 1/14/22. He was the ONLY one serving. Give him a raise. A BIG one. read more

Pat is awesome! Nice place for a drink, went to watch the Celtics game and Jesus Christ. Truffle tater tots were delicious and def worth it. Food came out hot and yum! My mom says that the seafood platter was "pretty good!" This place meets your expectations in a good way. read more

Do NOT miss eating at JJ Foley's. It is a true Boston experience with OUTSTANDING food! We had the goat cheese/fig pizza, the steak, the Reuben and the Cheeseburger and they were all delicious. Yes, we went back several times in one trip......Cozy atmosphere with friendly, welcoming servers. Family business. Please support! read more

Highly HIGHLY recommend their pina colada! Very creamy and the perfect sweetness. Got chicken wing, mozzarella stick, and potstickers for appetizers and all were delicious. read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - pina colada - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Came to the SoWa market on a Sunday. Needed some breakfast and this was close. Nice old Irish bar. Lots of beer on tap with a nice bar. Friendly staff. Kris ordered Blueberry Waffle and coffee with American sausage. Waffle batter was sweetened which she didn't care for. The syrup and blueberries were sweet enough. I had corned beef hash, eggs and biscuit. The corned beef hash had some real big pieces of corned beef although the hash was spicy and took away from the flavor of the eggs and hash together. The biscuit was outstanding. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Nice bar and old Irish feel. Not too busy on a Sunday morning. read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A classic! Friendly staff, great pub food (Friday fish fry never disappoints, hot and crispy), Red Sox on the TVs and good beers on tap. This place is tucked away but should be on every's list read more

The food, service and prices are all fantastic. The clam chowder serving is huge and delicious. I highly recommend.

Cozy option with good drinks! My fiancé and I got an Irish coffee and beer while killing time before heading to the airport for our departing flight - great location! read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Menu Exterior - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Stopped in for a quick bite to eat during my trip to Boston. The bartender (I believe his name is John) was outstanding!!! He was friendly and talked to us about Boston and everywhere we should visit. The grilled cheese was fantastic! read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Grilled cheese - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

As a Bar it is quite good except for the rowdy BPD drinking there. Food is plain and unremarkable.

Came on a Tues afternoon and it was maybe half empty. Service was still a bit slow but got better towards the end. They were friendly though. Got a yuengling draft which was as good as always. 1. Loaded nachos - Good to split between 3-4 people. This thing is humongous and they give you plenty of avocado, sour cream, and salsa. There's jalapenos, cheese, and beans / beef on top as well. One of the best nachos I've had so far in Boston! Overall, I'll come back for another hang out getting nachos and beer! read more

JJ Foleys Cafe - Nachos galore! - Irish Pub Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts