Choose your location
Sat / Jan 23
20s / 30s / Ambient / Artists / Flirty
Party Earth Review Situated in the basement of a building on Congress Street, Drink is a little bar with a big reputation. A no-nonsense sign stating “Welcome to Drink” greets the spirited creative young professionals, business types, and students waiting in line at this high-energy cocktail party, where a friendly door staff ensures that ... more
348 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Burgers / Button-downs / Couples
Party Earth Review Located in the Lenox Hotel and catering to the well-heeled and connected, City Bar is a one-room refuge that draws a clientele of attractive business and finance types, designers, and the media elite, who stop in on weeknights to lounge on lavish leather sofas and chat over whiskey and cocktails. A simple but elegant d ... more
Lenox Hotel
61 Exeter Street
Boston, MA 02116
After Work / Ambient / Bar Food
Party Earth Review Despite the prevalent stereotype that hotel bars are soulless affairs only intended for temporary guests, the historic Copley Square Hotel’s minibar has become a go-to for plenty of chic locals looking for a chill spot to start the night. In the post-work hours, trendy Back Bay professionals claim the dark ... more
Copley Square Hotel
51 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
20s / 30s / 40s / Affluent / Beer / Wi-Fi
Reviewed by Anabel B.
"After having a long conversation about Boston's rising imbibe culture, some friends and I decided to go to Hawthorne on a whim. We were by no means p ..." more
The Hotel Commonwealth
500A Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
20s / 30s / Bachelorette Parties
Party Earth Review A spirited and ultra-feminine mélange of classic French and Jazz Age styles, Cuchi Cuchi, named for Charo’s trademark expression, is a charming and slightly kooky cocktail bar popular with fun-loving bachelorettes and birthday girls. Bejeweled and feathered hostesses dolled up like flappers and showgirls usher the animated ... more
795 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Brunch / Business Types / Dinner
Party Earth Review With a sophistication that belies its position just outside the Kenmore train station, Eastern Standard is an upscale restaurant whose high-energy atmosphere, innovative cocktails, and delicious food pairings attract a diverse crowd of well-dressed business professionals, groups of girlfriends, college faculty, and travelers ... more
528 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
30s / After Work / Ambient / Dressy
Party Earth Review Stylish and sexy, Noir is a vibrant nightspot that exudes a smoky 1940s atmosphere befitting its evocative name. Once past the red beaded curtains, the clientele of swanky fashionistas and finance types slink into a dark and moody nook where businessmen lean against the curved white marble bar to eye the elegant model-types ... more
Charles Hotel
1 Bennett Street
Boston, MA 02138
Ambient / Beer / Budget-friendly
Party Earth Review If anything, homey Green Street proves cocktail snobs don’t have to go to a swanky bar to enjoy a wide selection of artisan drinks. With a plain brick exterior, bare mint green walls, and only a handful of windows, the casual venue puts the emphasis squarely on prohibition-era beverages. Hipsters in vintage duds vie for ... more
280 Green Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Brunch / Business Casual / Latin
Party Earth Review A lair of Mexican spirits and Latin beats, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar is a sultry sunken lounge with a drink list almost as long as Nabokov’s namesake novel – albeit much easier to read. Trendy young professionals fill the dimly lit space after work, settling in on the main bar’s scarlet chairs ... more
271 Dartmouth Street
Boston, MA 02116
Bottle Service / Burgers / DJ
Party Earth Review Located inside the Langham Hotel and once the Member’s Court of Boston’s Federal Reserve Bank, Bond is now where the smart money goes to invest in a night of sophisticated carousing. High ceilings, marble columns, and crystal chandeliers recall the venue’s former life, while modern touches like plush gold sofas and a mirrored ... more
The Langham Hotel
250 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
After Work / Blazers / Casual / Hip
Party Earth Review Nothing works quite like a margarita for warming up coworker relations, which may explain the perpetual stream of hip young colleagues loosening their ties at exotic tequila bar Tico. One of celebrity chef Michael Schlow’s outposts, the venue features a décor inspired by all things Spanish, Mexican ... more
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
Boston’s reputation as a beer and sports town is well deserved – that’s because there are a TON of beer and sports bars strewn throughout the city. But when you’re tired of watching the Sox or the Celtics (probably not possible) and drinking Sam Adams’ seasonal best, it’s time to check out all the great Boston cocktail bars. And if you’re being dragged there kicking and screaming – chances are the game will still be on over the bar.
All kidding aside, there are some truly great cocktail bars in Boston that range from high-end and classy to budget friendly and bohemian. One of the best cocktail bars in the city is Green Street. This Cambridge haunt forgoes any fancy surroundings and just focuses on mixing prohibition-era masterpieces. For a swankier option, there’s City Bar in the Back Bay which caters to a moneyed clientele of finance types and creative professionals looking for artisanal drinks.
Some other stellar cocktail bars are Drink in the Waterfront area and Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar. Drink is a little bar with a much bigger reputation and is an ideal place for groups to come together for some intricate drinks. Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar, meanwhile, is a tequila drinking paradise with over 200 options to choose from.
Boston is always going to be known for beer drinking and sports watching, but there are tons of excellent cocktail bar options to stray from the typical path.