I like brooding poets. I like bars named after said brooding poets too. Especially someone like Charles Bukowski, once described as an 'uninhibited bachelor, utterly free'. Hmmm... what will I find here, a gaggle of commitment-phobe literary laureates who come out for the sole purpose of enjoying a fine beer in a dark pub? Well, not exactly. But Bukowski's definitely has something special going on. You might not know it, judging by their shoulder-to-shoulder location with the overpass. The vibe is a bit Cambridge scholar with horn-rimmed glasses, part hipster and decidedly divey. It's long and narrow, mostly decorated with Dead Poets Society-style mugs and their 99 bottles of beer along the wall. The beer list includes some obscure picks, and quite a few of the high-alcohol content brews. The music is straight off of someone's plugged-in iPod and they have much better music taste than me, so I was pleased to say the least. Beers are ice-cold and I mean ICE--Bukowski's actually keeps their bottles in an ultra-chilled state by storing them in ice-filled wooden troughs. Pretty awesome. And so was the lovely bartender. Cash only my friends. read more

Bukowski Tavern - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Beer was good although selection wasn't great. Tater tots and mayo gave me food poisoning.

Why do people keep calling this a dive? It isn't. The staff are friendly; there is table service; they have an electronic POS system; they have laminated menus and a relatively varied food selection; they have a BOOK of their many excellent beers. And best of all, not a hipster in sight. We sauntered in here on Saturday night around 8 and were surprised to find the place comfortably non-packed; we had our choice of three open tables. Unfortunately, I had been feeling ill all day and only nibbled on my B+ chicken quesadilla. I also ate several of my girlfriend's french fries, which were excellent (seasoned perhaps?). And I forced myself to drink two beers, because to come here and not sample the profoundly awesome selection would be too much of a shame. They have Murphy's on draft, which I can never find in Chicago. I also tried the local-ish Otter Creek Copper Ale, which was okay. Too bad that I wasn't feeling well, because we could have stayed there all night. read more

Really good beer selection. Surprisingly clean ladies' room. Good music. Wow. I was pleasantly surprised by Bukowski Tavern. I was expecting more of a scene, more of the stuff just around the corner on Boylston. But the atmosphere was nice, and they pay attention to the beer (using the right glass, etc.). I had a good time and will definitely be back. read more

Although this is somewhere you are allowed to stumble in spontaneously, I highly recommend to plan ahead a bit. Because you don't want to waste non-bank-of-****** service fee from the ATM installed here. Probably with the fee they charge, you can buy another pint of beer. Going against the tide or keeping their revenue efficient, I don't know what their intention is. Your plastic is no good here. Beer selection may not be Sunset Grill caliber. But contrary to the size of this place, it's pretty vast. Also, they don't serve mediocre Joe-The-Six-Pack delight, they stock with funky local brew you wish you'd remember its name. You can go ahead and try to remember. But I can guarantee you. Those seductive taste will infuse you with loads of alcohol to kill the braincell containing those information. So write it down if you are serious about it. I thought $2 burger and hot dog were urban legend of Back Bay. But they weren't. When I looked at the menu, I couldn't spot it. But I asked for it anyway. And there they were. And they were delicious. Also their creative dish is something I really rave about. I tried "Guinness Beef Stew". Absolutely gorgeous. read more

A new friend invited me to Bukowski's for a pint... (who am I to say no to a micro brew?) Small & dimly lit, I felt as if I was entering... someone else's basement w/ bar & tables. I knew no one upon entering... and everyone upon leaving! If you like to your local bar to feel more like your living room, this could be your "Cheers." It's small enough to be inviting, and big enough to not get bored of the beer. I hear what the food lacks in Back Bay "class," it more than makes up in Southern comfort. read more

Food was tasty, crunchy and slurpy good. Energized atmosphere and people enjoying themselves.

Great service and atmosphere, quality food and drinks. Bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable! The chicken tenders were to die for, very juicy and perfectly hand breaded! read more

Lame.. lame.. lame!! I'm a HUGE Charles Bukowski fan! ( I even have the doodle he drew on the cover of his novel " women" tattooed on me) anyway.. my point is I never met the man,but from what I get from his work is he wouldn't dropdead in a place like this!! First all you don't sell old Thompson whiskey which I knew he drank...& half the people that work there arnt even Bostonians! He must be turning in his grave!! I'm gunna get some pickwick ale & salute him to all my friends!! read more

Highly recommend to anyone in Boston! I recently moved here & was looking for a place that was your classic bar food and cheap beer. It's hard to come by around here. So glad I had Bukowski's recommended to me! read more

I don't think I'll write anything that the other 388 people didn't. The novelty "FU" specials menu is pretty funny and the garage location is interesting but there is definitely a good friendly comfortable vibe about the place. I didn't eat here. I just stopped in to have a beer because so many of the Boston folks I work with named this place as a must stop over and over. Nice call! Its dark, dingy, a bit old, and if I lived in Boston, I'd probably be here every day. I was wishing I was hungry so I could have the "Pregnant Dog" with peanut butter pickles but I just couldn't. I had a few local pints which I believe cost me 5-6 each. Seems to be the going rate at most of non tourist bars. read more

Bukowski Tavern - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I really, really wanted to like this place...with a name like Bukowski Tavern I expected a dark sad place with books, whisky, and beer. Instead I was faced with two things that depress me: cash only, no booze. (They do have an ATM at the front door.) This place only has beer and a limited selection of wine. On the upside....service was fast, and bar food is decent. But seriously.....Bukowski with no real booze. Bummer..... read more

We had walked by here a few times and I was like man, that's a random little bar in the corner of a parking garage and looks very divey. But we finally stopped in after we saw the reviews on Yelp, cause we were hungry and were staying just across the street. It's a pretty chill and casual place and it was packed when we went which was a Thursday night. So we got the last table available in the very back, which was fine with us cause we were hungry and just wanted to eat and have a drink. Now, I'm not a beer drinker, and this place only has beer and wine (no sweet wines either, which is all I drink). So I decided to see if they had any ciders, since I'm warming up to those. They had like about 8 different ciders, but they were out of one of them. So our waitress got me some samples of the two or three they had on tap and we found one I liked. I really appreciated that although she was the only waitress and very busy she went out of her way to see if she could find something I would like to drink other than water. Then the food started coming out and we found out why the food had such good reviews! The white trash poutine tots were amazingly tasty, cheesy, and spicy. The pulled pork pretzel sliders were also amazing, so much so that we ordered a second plate of them! We also had the dog of the day-Guacing the dog, but it wasn't the best. The guac on it just didn't have as much flavor as I'm used to and didn't seem too fresh either :-/. At least everything else was great, including the service. Only downside is that they are a cash only spot, so pull cash out before coming. And if by chance you don't have time, then they have an ATM, but I'm pretty sure you get charged for using it. Would come back here when we come back to Boston and definitely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

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This was a big big disappointment. The beer list is as advertised, but we drove all the way there and found that they would not let my boy in with my wife and I. We live in the freaking south and you can take a kid to a pub where I live. And this is a world class city? We did go to the other location near Harvard and they let us eat and drink together. But for the downtown location not to is a little weird. read more

Lots of good character at this place. Good tunes, good drinks, cool looking customers. Didn't eat food, but it was probably also good. Good.

I popped in for a couple beers - honestly, I wasn't that impressed with the staff, and I couldn't get their attention to order food, so I can't really rate that this go around. The menu *looked* awesome, I just wish the bartender didn't give me the cold shoulder treatment, especially when a third walked in and their discussion with a regular about Night Shift Brewing which set off my decision to hit them up before my flight. I'll be back, as several people had good things to say about their food. read more

All searches lead to Bukowski... beer... bar... lounge... dive bar... liquor. To this, I add one more: "attitude." They've got it. It makes them who they are. You appreciate it, or you move on. One might be tempted to call it a hole in the wall. It's more like a tunnel, with the long row of bar stools on the left, and some tables on the right leading to more in the back. Wherever you sit, take a few moments to look at the limited food options on the back side of the flyer, then focus on the variety of beers and ciders on the front, served with attitude of course. In past visits, I've been satisfied with a variety of beers, and occasionally the food as well. This time I was pleasantly surprised by a cider, specifically Ace Pineapple Cider. Pineapple and Cider? They DO go together, really well. This was a great nightcap for what had been a busy day, settling nicely on top of everything else. No need to go anyplace else tonight after a visit to Bukowski either. read more

So we went postgame. I was impressed with the beer selection but the food was just average. By average, I mean that the white trash dip was tasty and the medium rare burger came out very dark and crunchy (inedible). If there is one item you shouldn't mess up, it's a burger (well, maybe a hotdog is easier to get it right). Normally, I go to a beer bar for beer so I'll keep this review at a 4 star. If this place were a restaurant, it would warrant 2 stars. If strictly a bar, all 5. Since it pretends to be one when really doing a good job at the other, I give it a 4 star. Hire more beer servers, retrain your cooks! read more

Bukowski Tavern - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Cool, divey place with a yuge beer selection and good bar food (the spicey cheese dip is amazeballs). I was fascinated with the diversity of the clientele too. Everything from blue collar workers to hipsters to sports fans to business people, all mixed together. Note two things though-- Cash only (they do have an ATM though) and no liquor. But if you like divey local joints and beer, it's a great place to go if you're around Copley Square. read more

Bukowski Tavern was on my "must see" list while I was in Boston. Did not disappoint. Good food, good beers, and the staff was super friendly. Totally low key and really cozy. Gay bar with a literary theme? You say that like it's a bad thing... read more

This place is an absolute hole. They do not split checks, nor due they inform you and your party of this inconvenient truth! Our food couldn't even be considered "Bar food" as it lacked flavor and a pleasing appearance. However, the beer was exceptional. Shall this cancel out the "Other" faults? I think not and we shall NEVER contribute to the till again. read more

Big beer selection, good food, decent service, beer prices a little high. I just love the beer selection here, and they do decent pub grub (bar food). The food prices are good, the beer prices are a bit high. The service is usually good and attentive. If your going here at the weekend, get there early as it will fill up and the place is small. Sometimes the music is really, really, really, really, too loud, so loud in fact that one cannot talk and only drink. Cons: No hard stuff (spirits/liquor), nor do they take credit cards, CASH only. Plus, it's not cheap. I used to rate this 5 stars, but minus 1 star for the ever increasing price of beer, just starting to get to expensive to make this the bargain it was. But, the food is dirt cheap after 11pm or 12. read more

Visit Date: August 31, 2014 Hubby and I came here after looking for a few places where he could have good craft beers and we could party a little in Boston. We heard it was a dive bar but to me it didn't seem all that divey. They had a ton of beers on tap and they served them in large glasses or small glasses. I don't drink much but I kept sipping hubby's beers and I had a small size coffee house porter which was excellent. We also ate the white trash cheese dip which was spicy but delicious! The chips that accompanied it were also terrific. Over the bar they have a ton of beer mugs for regular customers which is a nice perk if you're a regular! This is cash only so be prepared to have plenty of cash on hand. read more

We get being cash only and dressing like hipsters may make the bar seem cool, but when the service is terrible and the food is sub par, you're not fooling anyone. The atmosphere is very nice and we were recommended to grab a bite to eat late night at this establishment by some friends of ours. I blame then just as much. Although the bartenders seemed knowledgeable about the beer and wine, they were not knowledgeable about being bartenders. Splitting one check in two shouldn't be hard, especially when paying with cash. Constantly being ignored with 3 bartenders at a small bar is annoying. The food looked like a low grade hospital cafeteria throwaway. I get I'm only paying 9 dollars for a burger, but can you at least fake it? Hard as a rock and the fries were cold. My friend didnt get her food til we were almost done with ours. The bartender didnt car, didnt want to be there and was more concerned about talking to his friends, than the customers. We won't be back and we will not reccomend. Too bad, the place has such potential. read more

Calling Bukowski's Tavern a dive bar isn't really fair because it is not. It is just not nearly as pretentious as the neighborhood it lives in. I came in on a Saturday for a beer and a burger and was greeted by a friendly and slightly burly bartender. I liked that they served snack size beers because I didn't feel like drinking too much. I ended up ordering the BBC Espresso Porter, I really enjoyed it. I ordered the California Burger which came topped with bacon and fresh slices of avocado. The burger patty looked like a quarter pounder, a little smaller than some monster portions at other restaurants. But bigger isn't always better, I like smaller burger patties sometimes. This burger was flavorful and well seasoned, and apparently cooked one way. Would definitely come back in for another. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Snack size coffee house porter - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Best bar in Boston! Beer selection is a dream and food is a hidden secret. Service and atmosphere are outstanding!

Food is lame Lots o beer ... a good thing It is a dive bar for sure. Cash only I have been there done that read more

Went for dinner. Had the grilled cheese with avocado. Which was very greasy but delicious. French fries were also good. Others at the table had hot dogs. Which looked awesome especially with the chili. Was impressed they had veggie dogs with veggie chili as an option. read more

Gotta love this beer bar right in downtown Boston. Beer, wine, & quick-hit food. What more can you ask for? Owners that run Bukowski are the best too! read more

"Sometimes you just have to pee in the sink." ~C.B. - - - classy, Bukowski. The man wasn't exactly known for his clean-cut image.... neither is this place. The poet and author is one of my favorites for his brutal honesty regarding his views on others and himself. Naturally I was excited when I (literally) stumbled upon this hole in the wall named for the alcoholic rhapsodist. The space is narrow - more suited to one-to-three-person groups - people crowd in the most narrow bit of the space (near the restrooms at the front) so if you want a seat you have to claw your way through to the back of the dark dive. If you've ever read any of Bukowski's literature, then you would understand what I mean when I say that the atmosphere fits his literary style... On the up and up - there IS a massive selection of beers and a full bar (obviously! Bukowski would never settle for less!). I had the lambic (Framboise), which is always good and sometimes difficult to come by at those Joe-Schmo bars. Not sure of which brew to choose? -then you can always resort to their "Wheel of Beer" (...self-explanatory). Prices are decent, though drink too many bevs and you mind end up in the small, dim, cold loo (hard to get in and out of - people always hammering on the door - give a girl a moment of privacy, please!). Oh drunken bastard writer....you changed my life. It is most unfortunate that this dive bar on Dalton didn't make the cut. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Wheel o Beer - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I don't know how to explain my affinity for dive bars. You either love them or are grossed out by them. If you're like me than you'd love the Bukowski Tavern like I did. A friend with discerning taste recommended this watering hole to me. On his advice I withdrew $40 from their ATM before entering because of their CASH ONLY policy. I hate service fees but $2 didn't seem too unreasonable to me. It wasn't crowded the Thursday I was there so I ended up taking a seat alone at a table. The waitress was pretty attentive & I ended up getting a local Squatter's DIPA which was pretty damn tasty. I opted for the hot dog of the week since I eat too many burgers & needed a change of pace. It came out quickly after I ordered but I wouldn't have minded to wait longer because I was enjoying the music playing & the gritty atmosphere. The dog came with fries & was covered with guacamole & queso fresco. I absolutely loved it. The fries were cooked perfectly too & seemed fresh. The Bukowski Tavern is definitely not a tourist trap like everything else in the area seemed to me. It's not for everyone but I'd recommend it. read more

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In Boston on business trip Great dive bar! Beer and wine only but a great choice of beers. Food is good, had the grilled brat. This is. A great place with friendly service and a cool atmosphere! read more

The peanut butter burger is a dog from hell... I had the chance to visit the notorious Bukowski Tavern this evening and had myself a fine time. The beer selection was deep, with a great selection of draft and bottled beers. Being the man that I am, I forewent all of the fancy options and went straight for a cold can of Genesee Cream Ale. For the table, we ordered the White Trash Poutine Tots (horrible name). The tater tots were smothered in a spicy cheese sauce, beef gravy, jalapenos, and green onions. This dish was good, mostly because we were so hungry, but was an altogether far too heavy way to start the meal. Continuing with this trend, I ordered the peanut butter bacon burger as an entree. I've seen this on several menus during the past few years and figured there is no time like the present. I wasn't blown away by the burger. It was interesting and I'm glad I ordered it, but probably wouldn't again. Contrary to other reviews, we were very satisfied with the service we received. The tavern itself is pretty tight, space-wise, so consider this if you intend to arrive with a group. They play music very loud throughout the restaurant, something I found a bit distracting. Also, they do not accept credit cards, which remains something I can't understand in 2015. Lastly, as a fan of Charles Bukowski, I was delighted that his image was the focal point of the tavern's decor. I would probably return again, but only for a beer...or a burger without peanut butter. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Tater tot poutine - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Amazing beer choices. Hole in the wall atmosphere. Standard Boston prices. The Peanut Butter Burger with bacon is phenomenal and a must have. We ordered the Nectar Creek Triple Brett Sour Mead (left in photo) and the Merrimack Ale Wicked Cheatah DIPA (right). Both were very good and I reviewed them on Untapped with a 3.5 and 3.75 out of 5 respectively. read more

Bukowski Tavern - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A no frills, no nonsense bar. Stopped in early on a Thursday night. The bar was full, but not many in the table seating. We were looking to get a beer and an appetizer. They had a diverse selection of draft and bottled/canned beers and ciders. The bartenders did their job, nothing special. When looking at the menu, they had a variety of vegetarian options for meals, but we only had time for a bite so we decided to go with the veggie potstickers that came with a chili sauce. They had a nice texture and the sauce gave them a kick. The prices were reasonable, I would be interested in coming back to try some more of the food and check out the nightlife scene. It sounds like they put together some pretty cool events. Be aware this is a cash only bar, there is an ATM right as you walk in. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Trying out a few new beers! - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Place is still horrible. Came back for some dumb reason and everyone working there was arrogant as usual. Good place to come if you're into people not being hospitable towards you. After I wrote my initial review, I got bombarded with negative and threatening comments from people that didn't like my review. I wonder if I'll get death threats this time :) read more

Incredible beer selection with plenty of local & regional brews. The food was varied and quite tasty. A unique, trendy bar that won't blow your budget. There are higher priced options in beer and food but also reasonable choices. Cash only. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Now that's the way to decorate a fire alarm - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Great dive bar food! Who can resist the siren call of poutine tots? They were amazing - could have eaten 2 orders! Husband said his burger was on the small side but was delicious. Funky, fun atmosphere! read more

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We went on a Thursday afternoon. I think it's seat yourself and we sat at a table vs the bar, but service was faster at the bar. We ordered the sweet potato tots, California burger and the daily special "rue-dog". The food was good and my husband enjoyed his beer. Interesting place, glad I tried it but wouldn't go back. read more

Bukowski Tavern - Sweet potato tots! - American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Bukowski's was my favourite of all the pubs I visited in Boston, hands down. While the crowd was maybe not necessarily my type (an abundance of middle-aged white dudes) and the fare was a bit pricey for a dive bar, I feel like it's to be expected given the proximity to the convention center and the price point of everything else in the neighbourhood. Jutting out of the side of a parking complex, Bukowski's screams irony and disdain. I love the no-shits-given ambiance alongside the giant beatnik reference that is this place. The bartenders were patient and helpful while the food was perfectly decent for a dive. Above all, the beer list is fantastic; I didn't sample a single brew I didn't enjoy here. read more