I recently stopped by The Kartal on Tremont Street in the South End, and it instantly became one of my favorite spots in the city. This stylish neighborhood lounge had a fun crowd and welcoming atmosphere. think creative cocktails, great music, and a welcoming vibe that makes you want to settle in for the night. What really made the night unforgettable was the incredible service, especially from bartender Kurt. That guy is an absolute rockstar behind the bar! Kurt was not only fast and efficient even as the place filled up, but he was genuinely awesome--super friendly, engaging, and clearly passionate about what he does. He remembered our group's preferences after the first round, suggested some killer custom twists and has great energy and humor. His positive attitude and top-notch mixology skills turned a good night into a fantastic one. If you're going, ask for Kurt or Lucia you won't be disappointed! The crowd was a mix of locals and college kids. It's the kind of place that feels like your new regular spot after just one visit. Highly recommend. We'll definitely be back- thanks again to Kurt for providing an amazing experience! read more

really aesthetic cocktail lounge, pretty small & cozy like much of boston real estate. beautiful space, loved the party, only select number of seats as most people had their coats taking up the benches. no food available, eat before you come! i only ordered one drink, a paloma, it was made kind of weak and i didn't order a second. service were regularly coming around to disposed of empty glasses & bottles which was great! overall, great ambiance & music, show up early if you'd like a seat and or table, crowded but manageable. i enjoyed the vibe, and would have liked the drink to be a bit stronger. would have been great if they offered small plates. ambiance: 4.5/5 drinks: 3/5 service: 4.5/5 the kartal: 3.5/5 read more

One of my new favorite places! It's definitely crowded inside and the line can be long but it's so much fun! The DJ was great - playing such good music and everyone was dancing. I thought the drinks were good and reasonable read more

pros: fun atmosphere, dancing, good music cons: small, crowded, loud, long line sometimes, EXPENSIVE drinks (like $25 for a tequila soda is criminal) read more

my new favorite spot to go to for a girls night out! Something to be aware of though... 1. On a weekend night beware of a long line. The bouncer will only let so many people inside, so be prepared to stay warm and make some friends outside of the bar. 2. In line you can't be too loud because the area is below a residential building. The bouncer will ask kindly for you to be quiet or not scream because the residents might be asleep upstairs. 3. It is small inside. Be aware of broken glass, people bumping into you or not having a seat available. 4. Coat check is complementary and they take tips but will stop coat check at a certain point in the night. 5. The bathrooms are small and there's almost always a line. With only two stalls for women and one for men, the bathrooms are located in the back of the place. 6. Cute interior couches and red lighting so it's perfect for photos. 7. Get the espresso martini I cannot stress this enough. It is so good but be careful if they fill it up too high because it might spill. read more

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Really wanted to like this spot. Has European vibes and felt nostalgic but very rude bar staff. They don't like if you ask for the menu, or off the menu drinks and especially if you don't tip the minimum 20% recommended tip irrespective of level of service. Good spot if you are looking for the you don't belong here feeling (IYKYK) with the added sass and entitled tips. I would visit again if I am in a group and don't need to interact with the staff. read more

My friend and I are visiting from West Coast. The only complaint is that the line to get in takes a long time. And they kept allowing random groups of friends to cut the people who were waiting. It also felt very bro centric. They let in 3 big groups of guys that came out of nowhere inside. They don't even have a VIP line. So if you're a girly who wants to come dance and have a great time with your friends, just know you are not the priority here. read more

Short answer: not worth it Came here midweek as I have a business colleague visiting from out of town. Bartender was never behind the bar! Either MIA or just on his phone off to the side. Vibe seemed like it had potential with good music playing. Weird that the door was wide open in the middle of November with only 10 people inside. Drinks were overpriced, mediocre made with zero presentation on top of it. Of course, recommendation from the bartender was useless in the process. This was a let down as I had it on my hit list of places to go. read more

The Kartal - Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Dont say a place is open when is close please. Some people take is time to visit. Fully deception read more

The Kartal - Nothing the place says open and was close. Full deception - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place is fun for late at night, but beware of the line... and people paying to cut..... kind of small inside but if you want to dance and have a fun atmosphere then it's a great place! read more

Definitely a cute bar, but the music was way too loud. Seemed like it was maybe originally meant to be a classy jazz bar or something, but got bought out by a finance bro instead. Just didn't make sense to me for the dance music to be that loud if theres no dance floor. All that, and my vodka cran was $20, so not the best experience. read more

The Kartal - Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I came right when they opened and it smelled of cleaning products so much that they had to leave the door open. There were promotional flyers on the tables for another business. My drink was fine, but only about 2/3 of the glass, leaving both my friend and I (who had the same experience with a different drink) to feel shorted. read more

Cool atmosphere but super crowded and soft drink pours. Not impressed by the bartenders

My friend and I were frequent visitors of The Kartal and had an extremely unpleasant experience on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. *Brief Summary: Lounge used discriminatory practice to keep black patrons out. After 45 mins to an hour of being inside The Kartal, we were approached by a bouncer instructing that my friend must take his hat off or we would be forced to leave. Within the time frame before being approached, our identification had been verified at the door, we interacted with other patrons with hats on, and went to the bar. There were multiple interactions with staff and no one mentioned my friend's hat or a dress code. When we pointed out the other patrons' attire, the bouncer disregarded our comments and proceeded to enforce the dress code (2 young black people - friend is a black male). There were over 10 while males with hats on in the lounge and none of them were asked to 1. take off their hat or 2. leave because of said "dress code". There were also not any concessions made after a staffer told the bouncer it was "okay" for the white male to keep his hat on. We were still forced to leave the lounge. This is a prime example of discriminatory practices used to deter a "certain type of crowd". The problem is not having a dress code; the issue stems from the enforcement. There were ample opportunities for the dress code to be enforced from the line outside to interactions with staffers at the bar. This is a bad look for The Kartal and we will not visiting or recommending this lounge moving forward. read more

A manager asked me to leave Kartal this weekend because I had a hat on. The bouncer let me in with a hat on, and many people inside wore hats. Kartal selectively enforced this rule, and my race was the only difference between me and the other people with hats on. If you are Black, I would not go here. They are very prejudiced, and their actions show they don't want Black people there. Also, the only place Kartal posted the dress code is in their Instagram bio, and the bouncer admitted on the way out that he didn't know it was a rule. The dress code is not posted inside Kartal or on the website. So many people were wearing hats and were allowed to stay; those people were white. It's safe to say they singled me out, and my race played a factor in that decision. If there were a modern-day Green Book, Kartal would be listed as a place for Black people to avoid because they will face prejudice. read more

Checked this recently opened spot in my neighborhood out because the semi speakeasy vibe with no sign was intriguing. Also was interested since it used to be the iconic Boston Eagle. However it was mostly gimmick. The interior was as advertised; sultry and vaguely unapproachable. I expected drinks to be expensive, but for the price I'd expect them to have more effort put in. My friend and I got the same drink and since they "ran out of glasses" one of ours was half full and didn't have any of the garnishes described on the menu. Got to do better than that for $17 drinks. I'll probably be back some day to give it another shot, but there's so many other places in the neighborhood with a more fun vibe and better drinks and service so I think it's going to be hard for Kartal to break in unless they really step it up. read more

The Kartal - Inside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I want to love this place for the aesthetic but the drinks weren't good. If you're looking to go out and meet people though, this is a good and chatty spot Friday and Saturday night. Sometimes they have a DJ. Bartender was nice but too much syrup in both drinks read more

The Kartal - a person holding a glass of orange juice - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I have be going to this the Eagle for 30 years. I was excited about the new opening. Unfortunately, it has turned into a trendy bar that doesn't cater to people who, like me, are older and overweight. I was with my boyfriend, and tried moved to a more comfortable couch only to told that it was "reserved". The tall "manager" was rude. I expressed my displeasure and said that he was being ageist and discriminatory as he seated young, straight people. Seeing I got nowhere, decided to leave and heard the "manager" laughing and mocking me. Again I called him out on his rudeness and he only waved me off and doors were closed on me. The Eagle was always kind and gritty, the Kartal is cruel and discriminatory. read more

The Kartal - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

So happy this space opened up in the South End! This bar has a dark and sensual vibe, an homage to one of Boston's oldest gay bars "The Boston Eagle" that stood in its place prior. That's about where the comparisons stop, as now the bar has velvety interiors with tasteful design choices. The bar itself is beautiful with brass fixtures hanging from the ceiling. However, the drinks were pretty standard, at a high price point. There weren't many specialty cocktail offerings, so we went with standard choices but they did not leave us wowed. Overall I loved hanging out in the space and I'm happy this neighborhood spot opened back up. I'm excited to see how they grow! read more

The Kartal - Margarita and a whiskey sour - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I recently tried Kartal for the first time, hoping to find a nice after-dinner cocktail. That's exactly what I found! There was no sign on the front of the building( major Speakeasy vibes in that way) but I thought I had read online there was an eagle at the top of the door. We walked into a moody atmosphere with beautiful cocktails being made by the mixologists. My favorite was a margarita, but check out how pretty all the rest were. Great staff, great service, great drinks. A fun place to go on a weekend. read more

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Very rude staff and drinks are way over priced. You'd think with paying $20+ a drink, the bartenders would know how to make a drink, however they seem very unskilled. Horrible and inflated experience. This is what happens when you gentrify Boston's gay bars. Feels like an empty shell if what it used to be. Update: thought I'd add I got an unprofessional and retaliatory response from the "manager" because of this review. Gives good context as what to expect from the people working here. They all seem miserable. read more

Love this little watering hole - they're open late! Great spot for a 10-2am round... or 3. Great service, clean bar with decent prices and good selection. Love the vibe, small spot with cool accents. Classy, prohibition style, marble counter tops and bistro tables. Comfortable seating, largely a standing bar. read more

I had an amazing experience at the Kartal. The bartender's were outstanding! If you're looking for a late night speakeasy place with amazing drinks, this is the one! read more

Never ever again for this bar. This place is a horrible place where I've ever been. The drinks are over priced. The bartender is so rude and on top of that I am not sure if she actually knows how to make the cocktails! First drink was terrible--felt like I was drinking juice Second drink was worse--felt like drinking straight alcohol read more

$60 for a margarita and a shot! The wait to order a drink was about 30 min even though the place was pretty empty. The music was also awful. Really disappointing as the space is unique and inviting. Definitely not gay friendly which is very sad. read more

Phenomenal atmosphere, with creative and delicious cocktails and mocktails. Professional bartenders add to the experience. Great Location too! The decor is amazing and they have a DJ on some nights. read more

The Kartal is such a vibe.....music is always on point. Adorable decor.....many different options to sit or stand while enjoying a fab martini. Service is consistent and welcoming. Turning into one of my go to spots with friends. read more

Fire. NYC style bar. Dark cocktail bar with dark vibes exactly what you are looking for after dinner

Came here for the first time tonight and had an amazing experience. All of the bar staff was so kind and attentive. Will be coming back!!

Love the Kartal! Well crafted, sophisticated cocktails. The open format of bar allows for free flowing movement and easy introductions between groups. If you like spending your nights in sexy dim lit cocktail lounges with nice interior decoration, this is a perfect spot to add to your list. The Kartal also typically employs a DJ who has played great music every time I've been. Bartenders are also fun and friendly! read more

Seriously im from LA and this is my fish time in boston to going to the nice bar but guys you should a voice this place !!! We open the tap and they double charge us for the drinks, we asking for recipes and they said they cant even get us the recipe UNBELIEVABLE!!! Please dont come to this place!!! read more

Drinks are way over-priced. Tries too hard to be a club. Not a good neighborhood bar.

The absolute CHICEST bar in Boston. The drinks are phenomenal, and they have the most extensive mocktail menu I've seen. The service is phenomenal--Lucia is the BEST. read more

Good service and good drinks! The Kartal is a much appreciated addition to the South End

Terrible service by the bartenders. Me and my friends have decided not to come back again

great mixed culture atmosphere with beautiful barmaids serving up perfectly cocktailed libations. brought me back to 1985 Chicago bar-scene with lovingly eclectic crowd, and GREAT music! keep your head up! read more

10/10 recommend!! As soon as we got in, Lucia got us a table & our order so quickly. Amazing service, great drinks, and a super fun vibe. Can't wait to come back read more

The absolute CHICEST bar in Boston. The drinks are phenomenal, and they have the most extensive mocktail menu I've seen. The service is phenomenal--Lucia is the BEST. read more

Absolutely love this place. Peter and the team are great! Vibey music, great drinks, comfortable space.

Just what the South End needed...a neighborhood bar that is easy to pop into for a quick one or stay at the whole night. Located in the heart of Restaurant Row, the decor and vibe is like nothing else in the area. Small list of food offerings coming soon I have heard. Definitely a place you can meet your neighbors and have the staff get to you know. A must see and place to frequent. read more