Grabbed a "Just The Haze" and High Noon to accompany our quahogs. The atmosphere was nice and mellow with a good service to boot! read more

The Bell In Hand - Quahogs were delicious. - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I did the typical tourist thing and needed to get a beer at the oldest continuous running tavern in the US. Mission accomplished. The beer was ok. Not for the taste but for the temperature and carbonation. Beer was kind of cold and kind of carbonated. Glad I stuck to the smaller size. Service was good- no complaints. read more

The Bell In Hand - Cool Spot - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Super friendly service and delicious fish and chips Great history Definitely recommend read more

This is a good spot in the touristy spot of Boston to grab a beer. If you can grab a window seat, it is great people watching. They have a good beer menu, not extensive but good. The beer was not very cold so that was disappointing. Service was great. Fast and friendly. Food was average. We split a lobster roll that came with like 8 fries. Nothing great but good enough read more

The Bell In Hand - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We stopped by Bell & Hand Tavern twice during our trip, and it was incredible! The atmosphere right in the heart of the city was ideal for people watching. On top of that, the food portions were enormous, everything was absolutely delicious, and the service was excellent. We will definitely be back next time we visit! read more

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The Bell in Hand claims to be America's oldest tavern so of course I had to visit. My friend and I went bar hopping one evening and stopped in here after hitting up the Green Dragon across the alley. We only came for drinks at the bar, but there's another section that's a full service restaurant. I believe they also have a 2nd floor for events. The Bell in Hand was busy and had a lively crowd, much more so than the Green Dragon we just came from. There's a stage near the bar likely for bands. Service was quick, drinks were good. Looks like it would be a fun place to party on the weekends. read more

The Bell In Hand - Paul Revere Punch & some kind of ale. - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Located in a happening area, I stopped in for a drink. Had a local craft draft, available in shorts (12 oz) or longs (I believe 20 oz). I sat at the bar, you can also order food at the bar. They do have a separate dining area as well. One sign reads that they are the oldest tavern in America - this is not true (White Horse Tavern and Fraunces Tavern are much older). Another plaque states that they're the oldest continuously running tavern. Facts aside, it's an old tavern but it didn't have as much ambience on the inside as I would have hoped for. read more

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Toto we are not in Kansas anymore! Holy moly what a vibrant city with equally amazing hospitality! Upon sitting down, the owner/manager came by to offer my dog an entire bag of treats! Say no more - I am hooked! This place may be called The Bell In Hand but they've got me swoooooning eating out of their hand! Five stars read more

I did in fact come back almost 10 years later! Had a really great time here again with a group of us that were on a bar tour. The Celtics game was on so this place was jammed with people enjoying some beers and watching the game! Damjan was great and welcoming to our group as we arrived! read more

The Bell In Hand - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The Bell in Hand claims to be the oldest bar in Boston, so we definitely had to try it out. We came with some friends while visiting Boston after checking out Quincy Market. We were one of the lucky ones who came in on a Saturday and got a window seat. The bar was busy, but lively. We were greeted by our waiter who was kind and quick to take our order. I ordered a Moscow mule, which came in a copper mug - which is important to me. The drink itself was delicious and crisp. My husband ordered a beer and thoroughly enjoyed it, too. My sister in law tried to order a coffee, but they did not serve coffee here. I thought that was a little strange, but went with it. Overall - cool place to stop if you're looking for history in Boston. read more

My wife and I were visiting the area and needed to refill our hydration and sustenance. Why not at the oldest operating Tavern in the United States? Sounds like a plan! We sat at the bar so we could enjoy conversation with others. I ordered a Sam Adams redbrick Dale while my wife ordered a Boston tea party to take care of our thirst as well as a barbarian pretzel as a starter. Our drinks were whipped up quickly by our bartender, and our pretzel came out rather quickly. We were surprised it was actually two nicely sized pretzels that were warm, soft, and delicious! About midway through the pretzel, we decided on ordering our main courses. I jumped in for the lobster grilled cheese substituting a Caesar salad salad in lieu of the french fries. My wife went for their sliders without lettuce or tomato. Our meals came out after a reasonable amount of time and were well presented and absolutely scrumptious! We were very pleased with our visit overall! Hope we might be able to stop in one more time before we leave the area. read more

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My friends and I love to go out at the Bell and Hand, it's a great time. This was my first time trying the food. Its a fun vibe definitely if your from out of town, its lively and has outdoor seating in a fun area. The food was just unimpressive. We had the fish and chips and the fish wasn't very fresh. The burger was good but nothing special really. The tarter sauce was really good though. Service was really fast. read more

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Service was excellent. Very accommodating. Chowder was thick and very good but not the best. Had to add salt and pepper. Didn't have the lobster roll but did ask MKT price right now is $38. Fried chicken sandwich was excellent. Oysters were pretty good. Priced at 2.99 each. Thai chicken salad excellent. Fish tacos great and filling. Caesar salad very good. Worth a stop by. read more

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I love the history of the Bell in Hand. I know there are several bars that lay claim to the oldest bar in America and Bell in Hand has just as good of a case as any. The ladyfriend and I came here as our 1st stop on our long weekend in Boston. I was excited because they offered a non-mayo (I despise mayo!) version of the lobster roll. This one was served warm and with butter instead of mayo. So, the ladyfriend and I split a lobster roll (it comes with fries) and a cup of clam chowder. They were both just ok nothing special. I don't think it was anything the Bell in Hand did, I think it's just the nature of the dishes themselves. The Lobster roll was 38,00, this is pretty standard in all places that serve them so again not a complaint about Bell in Hand just the item, but for my money not worth it. Lobster is overrated to me. I am from Louisiana and lobsters are just flavorless giant crawfish to me. The only flavor is butter. The Clam Chowder too was bland. Maybe that's the nature of the dish, I don't know. I made a ham and corn chowder once and it was smokey, sweet and delicious. Maybe it's the clam. The place itself is nice and if you like lobster, this one is the same as any I have ever had. I liked that they had a beer, the Bell in Hand Ale that is unique to the bar (brewed by Sam Adams) and again I loved the history. Service was really good as well. read more

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Sat at the bar to enjoy drinks . Had an amazing bartender (Zozo) and had great interactions with Charlotte, one of the servers! They were both very attentive and super friendly ! Drinks were delicious too (Lady liberty and Blueberry Vodka Lemonade!) read more

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We recently just moved from California to Boston and wanted to wonder around the city abit. We came here and instantly feel very welcomed!! Michael was our server and he was super friendly and attentive!! We also had our puppy with us and they were super accommodating as well. We mostly got drinks and some oysters, which were really good! Definitely will comeback and would recommend this place overall! read more

Ok, maybe not a hidden gem since it's right out on Union St near Faneuil Hall, but I've been in Boston for about 15 years and I hadn't been until this week! My family was out for the day and needed a quick bite that would satisfy somewhat picky kids and also two adults without feeling like it was a restaurant only for kids or only for adults. The food was quick and tasted really good! The pretzel app was soft and warm, the kids grilled cheese was better than standard Kraft cheese, and the fish tacos were huge! The corn tortilla was a great swap on the tacos too. read more

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Wanting to feel like you are in a tavern from the early 1800s and get that American Revolution Boston vibe? This is the place for you! Unfortunately or fortunately, I came here while the World Cup games were going on. It was crazy crowded, and they were out of half of their beers on tap due to the Scots. They have good mix of different kinds of beer though. Not sure how the food is but I'm sure it's solid. It's located in a great area with other taverns and old restaurants. Definitely come for a drink or 2! read more

The Bell In Hand - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Known for being one of the bars our founding fathers visited. We went for cocktails only and had to wait a little bit before we were able to enter. The front bar wasn't busy at all while the back was absolutely packed. We were able to make our way to the second floor where there was a little more room to move around and they had a band. Overall it was a fun time if you are looking for some night life. read more

Very surprised by the low reviews I actually thought for bar food it was so much better and fresher than anywhere else. The wings were so crispy and juicy. The real MVP was the lobster grilled cheese. Mmmmmmm read more

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I'll give it 4 stars on history alone. The outside is much cooler than the inside. Stop in just for a drink and don't bother with the subpar food. read more

This place was recommended and did not disappoint. Had local cider and beer which was a refreshing crisp drink with the hot lobster roll and the Cioppino. The food was absolutely amazing. The service was good as they checked in on us regularly. I had to be patient for the Cioppino but well worth the wait. The place was clean and inviting and very old and rustic but unkept. Definitely stop here for some food and a drink great place great experience. read more

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Ate here twice during our visit to Boston. This was our series. Time to Boston. Sat at the bar and got a bottle of wine twice. Saw the food coming out of the kitchen and the portions were generous. The soft pretzel with cheese and mustard was delicious. We split that as it came with two pretzels. Then we split the fish tacos because each was large. That was plenty of food for two people! Would go back again if we came back to Boston a third time. read more

Pros -if a huge bar with plenty of outdoor receiving, back seating in a more classic restaurant, vibe, and plenty of seating in the front, which is more bar sport vibe -seated right away. No wait at busy peak times - SERVICE. Absolutely top-notch given how busy it was. food pro: - clam chowder was good, but did have a pepper-y taste (i liked it) -fish tacos were filling and perfectly cooked -oysters - food came out fast Cons: - nachos - A tad pricey but given the area and how fast we were seated we did not care The place across the street had an hour wait read more

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So one thing about me is I do not like mayo or butter. Also I'm lactose intolerant so it works out perfectly but that's besides the point. Anyways this restaurant was very accommodating. I was able to get no butter on my blt and have it just toasted. It was so fire. Bacon was crispy which is my preferred style of cooking. Also fries were good and thick cut. Overall pretty great. We went into the restaurant portion but the music was very good. Whoever was on aux was eating it up read more

The Bell In Hand - Menu - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Fun little place right in the thick of it. Seems to be a must see considering the history. Beers are a bit pricey but good and we got the pretzels with cheese and mustard. VERY GOOD. The service was fast and friendly. If we ever come back to Boston, we'll come back read more

The Bell In Hand - Warm Soft Pretzels - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We had been walking in the snow and were thrilled to stop in to warm up! It was so cozy and the service was fantastic. We had great appetizers, especially the pretzel. An amazing beer selection as well as ciders & liquor. The Olympics were playing and the owner stopped by to say hi. Great afternoon! read more

They forgot to put on the steak tips so they came out super late. Once they did come out they were very inconsistently cooked. Some parts were well done and others medium rare, while it was supposed to be medium. They offered to refund the fish and chips, the cheapest thing we got, instead of the steak, the most expensive, since the steak came out so late. read more

I would say typical east coast service. Short and to the point. Makes you feel like you're more a burden than their paycheck. At any rate, I had an amazing local cider and decent chili. This restaurant has been here since the founding of our country and much of the origins of our constitution and government were thought up by a bunch of soused colonialists in this pub. Worth the visit just for the history. read more

How cool is it to say I came to this bar while in Boston! The history in this city is just so cool to be apart of and this bar was a very fun atmosphere. We actually got let in through the back part of the bar that was not as crazy as the front entrance. We got a couple drinks and even bought a tshirt as well to commemorate our trip to Boston. The bartender was lovely and super attentive getting us refills on our drinks whenever we were running low. Next time we come back to Boston we will definitely be sure to stop by again! read more

The Bell In Hand - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Before a big game at the garden, or if you're visiting the City Hall area, you have to stop by the Bell in Hand. They have a great selection of craft beers on tap as well as in bottles and cans. They also have one of the better outdoor beer garden, and a great service staff. On a beautiful 4th of July, when all the bars with a beer garden in the area said we had to order food to sit outside, this guy named Adam, who happens to be the owner, said we'll get you a seat outside in the shade. What customer focus! My wife ordered one of the canned seltzers, and they had no problem, providing a glass of ice with a little bit of orange juice (that's how she likes her seltzers out of the can). Again, great customer care. read more

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Went to Bell in Hand Tavern with my mom while showing her around Boston. We were told to sit anywhere, so we grabbed a table near the bar. The place was not very busy at all (there were multiple open tables) yet we sat there for about 15 minutes without ever being acknowledged by the bartender serving the section. She served the table next to us, made eye contact with me multiple times, and still never said a word, not even "I'll be with you shortly." We eventually just walked out, which she clearly wasn't bothered by. I've never felt discriminated against at a restaurant before, but that's honestly how this experience felt. Really disappointing. read more

This is the Oldest Tavern/Restaurant in Boston... We just came for a drink so we could say we been there!!! It's very cute and the drinks were strong!!! read more

During our Boston trip, we definitely had to stop by the Bell in Hand as it regarded as the oldest continuously operated bar in the city from the post-revolutionary days. Paul Revere, who the name of the bar had nothing to do with, apparently used to visit here frequently! Luckily, this bar is located near some other sightseeing spots because the service and inside of the establishment leaves much to be desired. Still, I think it is necessary to pop in for a beer and then you can always head next-door to the famous Union Oyster House for more beers and stuffed clams. read more

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hello I was at your establishment last year in December of 2025.I hade won a trip to Boston for my first time to Boston. And Gabby was the bartender. she was extremely friendly and wonderful. I won another trip this year through a corona sweepstakes.I will be there in Boston Friday September 25th through the 27th. I hope Gabby is working on Friday September 25th. read more

Was visiting Boston for a short trip and was recommended this spot so came for drinks after work. Service was friendly and we were seated right on entry. Not much to say cause we just had cold ones but we enjoyed the drinks! The vibes is what I hear you come for and I do agree it's good vibes. It's also cool knowing that it's one of the oldest if not the oldest tavern in States. read more

The Bell In Hand - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The pretzels were SO good ! They came hot, soft, salty with cheese dip and honey mustard dip. I enjoyed the hot pretzel so much I ate it mostly plain, but had to have a little of the cheese dip too. We sat at a high table next to the open windows, feeling the nice fall air and people watching to accompany our conversation. It looked small as you enter, with seating along the right wall then you enter the bar area on he left, where I can imagine having a pint with the founder, who had been the Town Crier for 50 years before retiring and opening his tavern. The Bell reminded me of the older pubs I'd go to back in the UK so there was a bit of "home feeling" there. Our window table looked out onto the glass towers of the Holocaust memorial, adding more history to this area, with the cobbled side street and general atmosphere. They also have outside seating right in front: not sure if they were serving only drinks there or food as well. The building isn't the original one but has been renovated to the same architecture. Pop in for a pint of unfiltered cider or beer, or a cocktail and have those pretzels ! read more

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Historic tavern in Boston. Get food and service in the faniuel hall historic area. Would recommend est 1759 read more

Best Lobster Roll and garlic butter we have ever had. Drinks were great too, and Sarah was working her magic with drinks and running! Go Sarah! read more

The Bell In Hand - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We went to this bar over the weekend. It was packed and there were a lot of younger aged people there. To go upstairs, you have to wait in a large line and they only let you upstairs as people come down. Once upstairs, it was pretty loud and the music selections were okay. It was alright, but I think we would go to another bar when we go out again in Boston. read more