A little hard to find but worth it (look for the number 14). The vibe is very open and welcoming. Very chill. Lots of TV screens. Comfortable space and good variety of beers. Not clubby and not divey. I did not try the food. The true highlight is Ivan the bartender. Wow. He is so friendly and fun and has good dance moves. His energy is joyfully infectious. Ivan you are amazing! read more

Incredibly rude bouncer on 1/3. Making some patrons take tickets to go upstairs but letting others who is friends with go up. Will seek legal action read more

I went for a party with my friends was great Just wished more security in the entrance of club. And about bathroom have to go down stairs.. but was very good I like it For sure will visit it again read more

I last visited the Alley Bar on a Thursday for Trivia. And this place is great. The clientele is mostly gay men, but it's got a smattering of queer people of all types. And the trivia is pretty fun. Easy to hear but not overpowering. The host does a fantastic job. I'm also impressed that they manage to keep the music loud enough to be heard, but not to loud that you can't hear anyone - a common gripe. The last time I was here, I had the mozzarrella stick and a shrimp quesadilla. And while the shrimp quesadilla is not something I'll order again - the seasoning just isn't there and the cheese is so bland as to be a waste of space - the mozzarrella sticks are some of the best I've had in my life. They're generously breaded, always crispy, and give great stretch. Of the other food I've tried here, the cauliflower is definitely a plus, but let me be real with you: Don't come here for the food. Come for a beer and the ambiance. It's a good place. read more

I went to the bar on Halloween just to socialize, but I left early because of rudeness from two employees. First, as I was going inside, a bouncer decided to be a smart-ass to a customer, me, by saying sarcastically, "You're welcome!" I had not said thank you, nor was I wrong not to engage with that employee. Once inside, I reported the insult to two other employees, one of which, fittingly wearing a jail costume, said that the bouncer at the front door was "just doing his job." I countered that being rude to customers is not part of any job at a restaurant/bar. I was going to eat there, but I did not feel like enabling such a pathetic business so I left and ate at home. read more

Bartender could have been a lot more welcoming. We are from out of town. Hey.... Hello... how are you? Always a good way to start a conversation. Nope! read more

Very rude staff. I wanted to experience something new and I was denied at every step. I was trying to get a drink and play a round of pool, but the staff kept following me and telling me whatever area I was in was reserved... the place was over half empty on a Tuesday night. I was originally told that a party rsvp a section downstairs, and that everything else was free for all. That changed within two minutes. read more

Where to start.... This joint is pretty hit or miss which is a real shame since Boston has a dearth of gay establishments already. Bartenders consisted of very slow, slovenly dressed, and completely indifferent individuals. Half of the chairs at the bar were "informally reserved" by patrons who had stepped out to smoke (or whatever). Suggestions to improve? Ignorance is not exclusivity. You want to be successful? Put some pep in your step and treat each patron like they are signing your paycheck. It's got good bones, but no muscle....and gay boys, we want muscle every day of the week or we WILL (and did) go elsewhere. read more

It's a decent bar. The drinks were reasonably priced. The bartenders were fine. There was lots of seating and we weren't bothered when we sat at some of the tables. However, last Friday night they turned the music up so loud that we were screaming at each other to be heard. We couldn't believe how bad it was. We put ear plugs in but it was still ridiculous. We resorted to texting and we were right next to each other! I wish they respected their customers' hearing more than that. They're literally harming people's health. Do they actually think that makes the bar more enjoyable? RIP their employees' future hearing.. read more

Great spot in Boston. Interesting service, wouldn't say good or bad. Good drinks, food looked good. Nice to have an lgbtq+ place in Boston. I'd try it again when back in town. read more

Great portions, great service. Friendly staff, and very lively place. People hustle and bustle, and the music choice is solid as well. read more

The Alley - Chicken Alfredo pasta with garlic bread. - Gay Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Here's the gist: Two-story bar with two bars, lots of bears and otters, strong drinks, dance floor upstairs, cash only, and no cover. My friends and I visited The Alley (Bar) two nights while visiting for Boston Pride events. The bar is literally in an alley between City Hall Ave and Washington St and you can get to it from either side, even though Google will tell you to enter only from the City Hall side. Both nights we visited (Friday and Saturday) the place had an energetic number of people without overcrowding. We tried to go to The Machine Nightclub on Saturday night, but the queue had about 200 people. Because the line did not move at all, on Saturday night we returned to The Alley. There's an ATM to the right after you enter because it's a cash-only establishment (annoying), and bouncer at the door to the left, checking IDs. No cover charge. The downstairs is a bar, two rows of booths, a bathroom, and a wall full of TVs playing music videos. One of the bartenders at the downstairs bar poured really strong drinks and at $7.50 each, we got a pretty sweet deal! The upstairs is a loft style where you can see down below, with seating area along the railing, a pool table, dance floor space, and another bar. Also upstairs, there was a DJ in the corner cranking out sick beats from all the decades. The second night the entire dance floor was obscenely sticky and dancing was not as fun, but we still very much enjoyed our time! Recommended! read more

The Alley - View from upstairs overlooking lower level. - Gay Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Fine clean downtown bar Subway tiles Videos Reasonable prices Close to the Freedom Trail read more

I love how friendly everyone was however the mixed drinks we're TERRIBLE. The staff so warm and welcoming. The crowd was absolutely festive and the only reason why this doesn't get 5 stars was just how rough the drinks were. Oof. And this was on a Friday night (2/2). Please check the consistency of the product being served managers. read more

Right in the heart of downtown, this LGBT bar is a hidden gem (quite literally, I walked by it while looking for it!). Upon walking in, my friends and I immediately felt welcomed by the staff and multiple Pride flags in the space! We visited on a Friday night for a Drag Race watch party, which was so fun. We got there early, so it wasn't packed yet. That changed the closer we got to airtime! My friends and I ordered drinks throughout our entire time, which we were surprisingly reasonably priced! I even joked that the number 1 was missing in front of some of the prices because that's what I'm used to seeing throughout Boston. Seeing drinks for $9 was bizarre and even with that price, they were strong! We ordered an appetizer tray to share and each ordered burgers, two medium well and one medium rare. While cooked differently, they were on the drier side, which was discouraging. The fries were fairly standard. We will be back, but perhaps will consider other options for food in the future. read more

This is probably the least gay "gay bar" I've ever been to in my life. Honestly it could be an Applebees. Maybe it used to be. There is absolutely nothing that makes this place special. There isn't even one pride flag anywhere. Extremely disappointing. We will never be back read more

The Alley - Main Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

So Yeah, its Ok fine, the only issue is the lighting. Feels like they grabbed some tips from the high school cafeteria or a Straight bar. Oh wait, even straight bars do it better. Not good gay bar lighting at all. Typically you go out and want to maybe hook up? With the low quality of men at the PI, they really need an edge. Would be much better if the lights are dimmer, so maybe it might be possible? The lighting just kills any vibe. Typically bars turn the lights up like that when they want to clear the place out. Worked for a designer once who said, "lighting is everything" Might want to think about it. read more

We went on a Tuesday so it wasn't crowded, but the bartender was friendly and funny. I got a London lemonade and it was delicious - I definitely recommend it for those who like something sweet! As I expected, I was the only female in the entire place the whole night, but the vibe was relaxed and casual. It was easy to miss the entrance at first, but we'yll worth going in the end! read more

The Alley - Gay Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Love the atmosphere of this place. The food has always been enjoyable. Service is very good/

Another awesome night. Was here back in the summer...with a new friend and back again with same friend who I'm now married too. This place is very special to both of us now. Thank you guys! read more

I went on Valentine's night this year, thinking I'd find a lively atmosphere. What I found was grim. The two bartenders were older men in faded T-shirts, stretched neck elastic, dirty jeans, and unkempt beards. They looked unappealing for the look a business in a city center should have. The music from the jukebox was depressing. I expressed my disappointment to the person beside me; his response was more disappointing. He told me to play my music, that Valentine's Day was a straight day, and that he was running away from the atmosphere that night. In other words, it was like telling me: "if you want to party, bring your music to the bar." Excuse me! Shouldn't business owners strive to create the best atmosphere on special days to attract clientele? Not even a red underwear party. I finished my drink, asked for the bill, and left. I preferred to go home because I said, "If that's the atmosphere at Alley, I better not waste time with others." The $10.00 I spent on a single drink, I'd have spent on a bottle of wine. Alley Bar survived the pandemic duller and less dynamic, and they take their clientele for granted. read more

In the beginning, there was a gay dive bar unassumingly placed in Pi Alley in Downtown Crossing. The bar wasn't without its quirks, in fact, it needed a lot of work. The owners looked down and said "let there be subway tile, remodeled bathrooms, a fun lighting concept and big screens." And there were, and they were good. But then a nasty queen named Miss Rona came along and menaced the whole operation. Fortunately, the owner had been remodeling the bar's kitchen for some time in hopes of serving food, and it just happened to be ready during the pandemic. The clientele was understandably dubious, they were more used to battling the bar's strong pours on an empty stomach before dinner, rather than actually consuming a meal on the premises. A tradition Miss Rona snatched from our embattled community. But hope came in the form of a bistro menu. I have to say, I was really impressed by the quality of the food at the Alley. One thing is clear, they aren't just going through the halfhearted motions of serving food to stay open, they are really going for it by serving good food at a reasonable price. The app menu has some great standards, but most impressive was the poutine. For those who've never been drunk in La Belle Provence (that's Quebec) at 3:00 AM, poutine is french fries, gravy, and cheese curds. The challenge is, restaurants here in the US generally struggle to replicate it. The precise cheese n'existe pas ici and the gravy isn't the kind you'd put on your turkey on thanksgiving. Clearly, the cook at The Alley isn't thwarted in the least: last night I had the closest approximation of the dish ever consumed on American soil. It was so tasty, and the sauce was on point. In lieu of the border to the north reopening, this was the next best thing. As for sandwiches and entrees, there's an impressive selection. I went with the burger, which was cooked perfectly on a supple brioche bun and what sure seemed to be homemade pickles. I really wasn't expecting that. All and all, when you're ready to eat out and you're jonesing for some time at your favorite bar, as I was after a year of isolation, The Alley is very much an option right now. Oh, and BTW, it's spotless, there's plexiglass and social distancing -- they've really taken pains to ensure their clientele is safe. Miss Rona can just sashay away, because The Alley ain't having her drag. Most importantly, with so many of our spaces closing, it's wonderful to know that the Alley will keep upping their game so they'll continue to be around for us. And someday, when the world is less farkakte, we won't need to stagger to another locale for our sustenance meaning more quality time with our friends. How's that for a silver lining? read more

I walked in and sat at the bar. The bartender kept walking by me asking everyone at the bar if they needed anything. I said, "Excuse me" several times but he just kept ignoring me. Another customer told me, "Sorry, that's just how he is." I didn't quite understand it until I actually looked around. I was the only Hispanic person sitting at the bar. Everyone else was white. I hate to say it, but I feel like this was a race issue. I will not be back. read more

The Alley now has a pub menu to offer. Standard stuff like nachos, wings, burgers. Their best dish IMO is the flank steak served on garlic bread. So good. They have a large beer selection, strong drinks and friendly service. The Alley has taken all precautions to make sure their customers are protected. Plexiglass barriers between booths, distancing between seating areas. I recommend this hidden gem. read more

A little bit hard to find if you don't know where it is, but a fun place! Visited here after a Bruins game and arrived around 10:15. There were a lot of people there but it wasn't super crowded yet. My bud and I got a seat at the bar and were served immediately. Very friendly service. The crowd was fairly mixed, although I'd say it skewed older. There was an underwear party going on upstairs so you'd occasionally see someone in briefs or a single float by but for the most part, it was a laid back crowd downstairs. Coat check is $2. Beers are very affordable. I'd go back. read more

I like the food and the people. I'm not much of a drinker so I can't ... THE MUSIC IS DISMAL!!! I was hoping to dance but ...nothing above 1980s. I wish the dj would realize that no one is dancing except himself. read more

It was my best friends 24th birthday and the second our group entered we hoped to have fun but were quickly let down. As we were walking through a man leaving informed us that the bouncer was very rude and negative. We brushed it off and kept walking in. As we met the man in the kool aid tank top who was checking ids we realized we should have listened and turned around. First words out of his mouth was him saying that one person in our party was just too drunk... for some reason he still let us in (mind I add that, that one person was just happy to be celebrating). Instead of turning around again we decided to walk in. We got one drink and left. Thank you kool aid man... read more

So, I don't really get this place. Ideal location in the heart of Boston. Cash only business with one frequently broken ATM that's connected to a land line that must ping a terminal in Antarctica before giving you cash. Closed on Sundays, but kind of shows sporting events. And shakira videos. Friendly staff who seem to always be explaining the owner's quirks to customers. Poop or get off the pot. read more

LISTEN. My boyfriend and I were in Boston for like two hours. Thought we'd grab a few drinks at a gay bar to kill time. I won't go into detail about a multitude of things that were upsetting, because this takes precedence: a trans woman left the bar and the entire room filled with applause and disgusting, transphobic language to follow. Which was LEAD by the bartender (today, 3:30pm). If you're queer, do not go here. read more

After a renovation last year this place looks much better vibe wise than it has in a long time. A little difficult to find because it's actually in the middle of Pi Alley, you really need a map to find it. The designated "Bear Bar" of Boston, has cheap enough drinks and an indoor dance floor on the upper level. Occasional events during non-covid times. Have been plenty of times and never had any problems. Hate using ATMs but this place uses cash so plan ahead. read more

BEST place to be, beautiful hospitality. I didn't want to leave. The food is SUPERB. Thank god, because we were starving. We appreciate the hospitality gentlemen!!!! read more

A place to go with friends, have a drink, and chill. Atmosphere is still eh. Still not my favorite spot to chill and go with the menz. read more

I've been in the restaurant industry for years and have never been treated this way. An incredibly unfriendly atmosphere. the bouncer was incredibly rude and the bartender was inattentive. it was not busy whatsoever so i'm not just being your typical impatient restaurant go-er. would not recommend to anyone that is not a regular. read more

First, cash only - so bring money, but there's an ATM inside for those of you who don't bring enough or forget. I always have a lot of fun at this place. No cover is great. The drinks are strong, the music is great, various sports games in the TVs are nice too. I tend to just enjoy relaxing in a booth with friends having drinks, but upstairs is also fun. Small dance floor, pool table, another bar. Overall this is a great place to have fun right after work or late at night. My only wish is that this they'd be open at lunch time and served good, i could use a nice comfortable place for a cocktail and meal during my lunch break now and then. read more

Fun group of folks. Music is always good. Sometimes the provide food. I really enjoy karaoke on Sundays. Always stop in when I am in town. 4 starts because it's cash only. read more

It's literally hidden in the alley, not very well marked, but a great little dive bar. It's an older crowd, but very friendly, a great bar tender, and the patrons are all very friendly. It's a few steps off The Freedom trail if you get thirsty while tourist-ing. Great beer selection, especially if you're an IPA fan! Plus $7 for a pint of Sculpin IPA (regular and grapefruit) is almost what it costs in the tasting room in San Diego! read more

Frustratingly confusing and contradicting information online. It seems like there's a similarly named bar that doesn't actually exist, but it has great reviews. Go figure. So I spend like 45 minutes walking around trying to find this alley bar. Finally, I call them up, and tell them the address on their website was just running me in circles on google maps. He said "Yeah, sorry, that address doesn't really work" and then gave me the correct address. It's literally a hole-in-the-wall bar down an alley, filled with somewhat sad and tired looking bears who already seemed to be coupled up anyways. But more than anything else, if you know your address online is wrong, why the heck haven't you fixed it!? Thanks for the headache and lame experience. read more

What an surprising delight! We were looking to get out of the cold and stumbled upon the best gay bar we have been to, maybe ever! It was a Sunday afternoon and the atmosphere was amazing. Board games, football and classic movies playing with amazing music. Rocco took such good care of us. Love this place and will recommend to anyone (gay/bi/cis/het/etc) going to Boston! read more

It's Rocco. Movies, literary references, good pours and an adorable smile. Good vibe, great prices, excellent afternoon. Stop dithering, just grab a bar stool and let it happen. read more

Remember when what was when and gay was gay? We do. PI Alley, Downtown Crossing where Napoleons meets 119 , fantasy's 1270 read more