Boston’s Greatest Irish Pubs

J.J. Foley’s is in institution. / Photo by PAH Creative

The Irish pub is a prevalent style of watering hole in cities that aren’t home to huge populations of Irish descendants. It’s no surprise, then, that the Boston area abounds with treasured—and in many cases, downright historic—bars for bellying up and tipping back a perfectly poured pint of Guinness. Here we’ve selected some of the coziest, most spirited places to stop for a chat and a brew. Whether there’s a live music session happening in a corner booth, a rugby match on the flatscreen, a roaring fireplace in the dining room, or simply a couple locals with thick brogues seated next to you, these Irish pubs offer truly authentic experiences.

Last updated in March 2026; watch for periodic updates.

The Banshee

A lively sports bar on Dorchester Avenue, the Banshee is the official home to several local chapters of international soccer supporters’ clubs; it’s also the most reliable place in town to watch rugby. On the culinary side, the pub doesn’t quite dig into Irish cuisine—you’ll find everything from steak and cheese egg rolls to burritos to pizza on the comfort food menu—but the cozy vibes and a good pour of Guinness certainly fit the bill.

934 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, Boston, 617-436-9747, bansheeboston.com.

Corned beef and cabbage spring rolls at the Black Rose. / Photo by Carli Lynch

The Black Rose

If you are seeking an Irish pub near Faneuil Hall, stick to this spot that’s been properly pouring pints for close to 50 years. You’ll find a legendary tradition of live Irish music here, and the menu combines New England classics with Irish treats to serve a true taste of Boston. Swing by on a weekend morning for a full Irish breakfast.

160 State St., Downtown Boston, 857-465-4100, blackroseboston.com.

The Brendan Behan Pub

Best of Boston winner, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2008, and 2011

Portraits of Irish authors (including the namesake himself) adorn this watering hole, along with political and punk memorabilia fit for a Jamaica Plain local. The Behan has an extensive craft beer list and hosts regular food pop-ups—Rafa the Burrito Guy, for instance, appears on Wednesdays and Saturdays—for noshing on front and rear patios, weather-permitting. Inside, the cash-only bar is dim, welcoming, and entirely unpretentious, and there’s live Irish music on Saturday evenings.

378 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Boston, 617-522-5386, brendanbehanjp.com.

The Burren in Davis Square, Somerville. / Photo by Greta Jochem

The Burren

Irish musicians Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello founded the Burren over 25 years ago, and it’s been a bastion for traditional tunes ever since. You can catch nightly music sessions (as well as the occasional comedy set or trivia) in both the front and the back room, and the hearty food menu has something for everyone, including plenty of vegetarian options. Head to its Berklee-area sibling, the Bebop, for live acoustic music in a variety of genres, or Porter Square siblings McCarthy’s and Toad (see below) for more Irish fare and live music.

247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville, 617-776-6896, burren.com.

Corrib Pub & Restaurant

There’s a sense of familiarity that fills this pair of neighborhood pubs in Brighton and West Roxbury, where the roaring fireplace is especially welcoming during colder months. The prime rib special, when available, is quintessential, old-school comfort food, but any day of the week there’s a full menu of pub grub that’s also friendly on the wallet.

396 Market St., Brighton, Boston, 617-787-0882; 2030 Centre St., West Roxbury, Boston, 617-469-4177; corribpub.com.

The Druid in Inman Square, Cambridge. / Photo by Greta Jochem

The Druid

Best of Boston winner, 2015

Come for the fish and chips (made with cod), stay for everything else. Whether it’s Irish music sessions on Wednesdays and weekends, the small-but-mighty draft list, the amicable Irish bar staff, or the fascinating floating banshees above the bar, the Druid is the ultimate place to while away an afternoon or evening and feel truly transported.

1357 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge, 617-497-0965, druidpub.com.

The Dubliner’s day boat fish and chips. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

The Dubliner

Best of Boston winner, 2023, 2024

You might think this 2022 arrival, steps from the Government Center T station, has been there forever; it’s shiny and attractive, sure, but it knows how to handle bustling crowds like a decades-old spot. The food is the star here, courtesy of chef and partner Aidan McGee, who worked his way through Michelin-starred restaurants in Great Britain. We promise not to highlight fish and chips everywhere on this guide, but this is another one you’ve got to try. (Plus, the Sunday roast.) There’s live music several nights a week, too. Don’t miss its Dorchester sibling, McGonagle’s—see below.

2 Center Plz., Downtown Boston, 857-317-2695, thedublinerboston.com.

Emmets Irish Pub

Best of Boston winner, 2016 and 2022

This pub is the kind of place where Beacon Hill lawyers like to debrief over pints after billable hours are over. But you don’t need to be among the hungry after-work hordes to appreciate the traditional trappings and hearty, standout pub fare, including shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and a signature Guinness beef stew. The pints certainly runneth over here, but Emmets also takes a ton of pride in its Irish coffee, which spikes dark roast java with Tullamore Dew Irish whisky, raw sugar, and fresh cream.

6 Beacon St., Beacon Hill, Boston, 617-742-8565, emmetsirishpubandrestaurant.com.

Irish Village. / Courtesy photo

Irish Village

This welcoming bar, around since the 1970s, frequently switches up its draft lines with solid craft beer selections from Notch, Allagash, and more—including an excellent pull of Guinness. The only food options are toasties. For your entertainment, there’s a fun jukebox, darts, and ex-patriate Irish regulars who are as congenial as the small bar they sit around, plus live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

224 Market St., Brighton, Boston, 617-787-5427, irishvillageboston.com.

Jerry Foley, owner of over 100-year old family-owned South End pub J.J. Foley’s in 2013. / Photo by Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images

J.J. Foley’s Cafe

Another landmark Boston bar, J.J. Foley’s has been pouring pints in the South End for more than 100 years. It claims the title of the oldest family-run Irish pub in town. But the often-packed establishment doesn’t rest on its laurels, continuing to serve better-than-it-needs-to-be fare and rotating specials, like chicken piccata, bangers and mash with a fried egg, and spicy stuffed quahogs. (There’s a younger branch of the family tree downtown, but don’t ever get them confused.)

117 E. Berkeley St., South End, Boston, 617-728-0315, jjfoleyscafe.com.

L Street Tavern in South Boston. / Photo by Greta Jochem

L Street Tavern

This corner bar has the dark woodwork, stained glass details, and (often crowded) community atmosphere you’d expect from a classic Boston Irish pub, which is likely why the producers of Good Will Hunting chose to film some of the Oscar-winning movie there. The pub changed hands in 2024—owners Jack and Susan Woods moved on after nearly three decades—but the pub has “continue[d] its neighborhood traditions” under new ownership.

658 E. 8th St., South Boston, 617-752-4947, lstreettavernsouthie.com.

A spread of vegan and vegetarian dishes that will be on the menu at McCarthy’s, photographed at the Burren prior to McCarthy’s opening: eggplant “pizza,” lentil stew, stuffed sweet potatoes, and a grain bowl. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

McCarthy’s and Toad

This pair of adjacent businesses from the Burren team replaced one Porter Square mainstay and revived another: Two-story restaurant and bar Christopher’s became McCarthy’s, and intimate live music venue Toad stayed Toad. Charles Christopher and Holly Heslop (also behind Cambridge Common and Lizard Lounge) recently sold the building and businesses to Burren owners Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello, both traditional Irish musicians. The jam-packed live music schedule and cozy vibes persist at Toad, while McCarthy’s is a comfortable Irish pub with substantial options for vegetarian and vegan diners and its own calendar of live music, trivia, and more upstairs. Don’t miss the snug, “Costello’s Corner,” complete with fireplace.

1920 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge, mccarthystoad.com.

A spread of food at McGonagle’s, including a chicken and leek pie, chicken curry, pizza, and more. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

McGonagle’s

Best of Boston winner, 2025

The Dubliner sibling McGonagle’s, billing itself as a modern Irish pub, has been making a splash in Dorchester since its late 2024 opening (even getting attention from the New York Times). The winning combination: an absolute obsession with Guinness, a two-story space with a big stage for live music, and great food (overseen, like at the Dubliner, by chef Aidan McGee, who’s got Michelin-starred restaurant experience). “Giving people a newer version of [a traditional Irish pub] is our style,” owner Oran McGonagle previously told Boston, so the menu reflects the globally inspired cuisine served in Ireland today, from wood-fired pizzas to the Irish-Chinese spice bag, a delightfully flavorful mix of seasoned chicken, fries, peppers, and onions with curry. Stop by for a full Irish breakfast during weekend brunch service.

Mr. Dooley’s

In a crowded field of Irish-themed bars in downtown Boston, Mr. Dooley’s stands tall. Opened in 1991, it’s the first establishment by the late John Somers, who owned the Green Dragon, Paddy O’s, a South Shore Dooley’s outpost, and others. He was also a musician, so it’s natural that Dooley’s is a favorite site for fiddlers and whistlers to pop in for a session.

77 Broad St., Downtown Boston, 617-338-5656, mrdooleys.com.

Fish and chips at Mrs. Murphy’s. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Mrs. Murphy’s

The group behind Medford’s Ford Tavern added an Irish pub to the city’s (increasingly cool) square in 2025. Amid weathered brick and dark wood furnishings, traditional fare (shepherd’s pie, fish and chips) mingles with sauerkraut-and-corned-beef-topped “Irish-ish” nachos and smashburgers. Stop by for live music Thursday through Sunday.

25 Salem St., Medford, 781-874-0527, mrsmurphs.com.

Olde Magoun’s Saloon

This Magoun Square stalwart has plenty of what you want from an Irish pub: There’s Guinness beef stew, Irish chicken curry, nitro cold brew-based Irish coffee, and a deep list of Emerald Isle-made whiskeys, too. But Old Magoun’s is also a bit more modern than many of the other spots on this list and stands out as a great gastropub by any categorization. The strong selection of craft beers on draft pair well with oft-changing specials, and be sure to check out the mac and cheese, one of our local favorites.

518 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville, 617-776-2600, magounssaloon.com.

Plough & Stars

Best of Boston winner, 1984 and 2003

Since 1969, this Cambridge corner has hosted luminaries such as Seamus Heaney, Bonnie Raitt, and Phillip Roth. One of its claims to fame is being the place where the quarterly literary journal Ploughshares was conceived. These days, on any given night, it’s a casual neighborhood bar and a place to take in live music, a hearty meal, and a pint or three.

912 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-576-0032, ploughandstars.com.

Scobie’s. / Photo by Pah Creative

Scobie’s Café & Bar

Temporarily closed as of February 2, 2026 for renovations, so check the website for updates before heading over. It’s expected to reopen around spring 2026.

This Dorchester venue is open all day, whether you’re looking for grab-and-go café fare and drinks in the morning or a heftier full Irish breakfast; a roast of the day, Irish sausage rolls, or a burger for lunch or dinner; or fun stuff, like rugby watch parties and traditional music sessions. Also of note: a fireplace.

782 Adams St., Dorchester, Boston, 617-765-8075, scobiesboston.com.

Duxbury clams with Portuguese-style chorizo from New Bedford at Sweeney’s on Boylston. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Sweeney’s on Boylston

When the Lenox Hotel revamped its longtime dining options in late 2024, bringing operations in-house, it was farewell to Sólás Irish Pub after over 20 years but hello to Sweeney’s. Here, New England ingredients and influences meld with comforting Irish-inspired classics: A corned beef and cabbage sandwich, for instance, features New Hampshire cheese, while the full Irish grill swaps New England-style anadama bread for Irish brown bread.

Lenox Hotel, 61 Exeter St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-536-5300, lenoxhotel.com.

Tavern at the End of the World

From the friendly bar in front, peek into the dining room in back, where live entertainment sets up nearly every night. The bartenders preside over a diverse lineup of craft beers on draft, a couple dozen by the bottle, and liquor and wine—as well as both seating areas, so service can be unhurried. But this neighborhood pub, on the Somerville/Charlestown line, is a fine place to hole up for a while. And tell your out-of-town friends: The bar rents out an Airbnb upstairs.

108 Cambridge St., Charlestown, Boston, 617-241-4999, tavernattheendoftheworld.com.

With additional research by McKenna Johnson.