I honestly had so much fun here, and am very glad I randomly stopped in on a Tuesday during my recent visit to Nantucket. I didn't know what to expect, so I came unprepared to a sold-out show. A kind couple behind me in line happened to have an extra ticket, so I was able to enjoy The Elovaters along with a diverse crowd of equally excited individuals. One of my favorite memories from this trip! read more

Worst experience. We are 26 and it was DEAD bouncer took my friends ID and wouldn't accept it even though it's 100% legal and legitimate. Rudest and most unnecessary encounter for our last night in Nantucket, read more

I was asked to leave just for speaking Portuguese on the phone, even though I was quiet and the place was empty. There was no valid reason for this other than the language I was speaking. This kind of behavior is unacceptable and clearly discriminatory. If you're not a white American, you're not welcome here. Don't come this place is not for you. Do Not go to this place! They are very racist if you are foreign National. read more

Absolutely disgusting experience... I'm appalled. The bouncer was on a massive power trip and threatened to take one of our friend's IDs even though she was 27. Nonetheless, we decided to get a drink from the bar to boost our spirits, though we were forced to witness a mf RAT jumping across the receipt after getting our drinks... I think I threw up in my mouth. Safe to say we will not be returning. read more

The Chicken Box - Rat - Dive Bars Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

This bar was "fine" the reason for my low review is based on how incredibly RUDE the bartender was to me. Having never been there before I asked if they had a cocktail list. He was very offended that I would ask such a stupid question and made that very clear to me. I tried to move on from the incident and bought a couple of drinks which totalled $30. Despite the rudeness of the bartender I tipped $3. I noticed it was taking him a long time to process my credit card and the next day I received an alert on my phone that I was charged $3934 at the Chicken Box. I don't know if this was intentional or a mistake but either way it was quite a disturbing experience. Other than that - - - we had a fine time. read more

Local bar with local patrons and local service staff. Love music throughout the season. Within decent 15 min walk from "town". Enjoy a sports game or a beer outdoor on the patio. Decent beer selection but excellent mixed drinks. Not the top food choice. read more

Amazing place, and even better bartenders! Live music is an amazing experience for such a small island. The bartenders are always so busy and do the best to make sure they work through the line. Can't miss spot on the island read more

The bouncer was on such a crazy power trip last night - don't even go. They said he was new but still it was nuts - we went to gaslight and had a great time read more

It is what it is! Dive bar for live music. Came on 3rd of July, so obviously peak season. Recommended to me as a "must see while in Nantucket if you are boozing degenerate like me" venue. Andy Frasco and the U.N. was the band. $20 cover. Cocktails at about $10 a pop in plastic cups. I thought the bartenders were moving at a good pace, though with the bar so full we were four deep, it still took about 20 minutes to get a drink once you were in line. A lot of obnoxious drunks here treating the bartenders like trash but our bartender maintained her smile and had a great disposition (wish I could remember her name, but then again, fuzzy memories mean she did her job, well!). Band was great. Some covers. Some originals. I downloaded on iTunes already. Would love to come here on a quieter night when I could get outta there without nasty drunk woman spilling half her vodka/ soda on my feet! read more

Oh boy, what can you say about the chicken box? This is definitely a divey locals spot. We went on a night there was not live music so it was pretty dead. The bartender was nice, but kind of hands off. You could tell a lot of his buddies were at the bar, so they got most of the attention. Be specific when ordering a drink, because their well vodka was not good. read more

The Chicken Box - The Chicken Box - Dive Bars Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

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First trip to Nantucket and wanted to visit one of the famous ( now infamous) Elin Hildebrand haunts on island and place she mentions in many of her great beach read novels. We arrived as band was warming up and doing sound checks, ordered a drink and we were treated so rudely. Unwelcoming and RUDE RUDE RUDE! read more

Go! Really fun place. Everyone is friendly, including the crowd ... which is mixed. Dressed up to dressed down. It doesn't matter here. The band was awesome though they are from New Orleans (The Brass-a-holics ... seriously such a great band) ... just go. You'll have a great time. Bartenders are great too. Really friendly. read more

I don't mind dive bars at all, they give you a chance to really embrace the locals and not feel like you're at a commercialized sports bar but I came here with a crowd and upon entering, there's a $10 cover (somewhat steep) but since there was a live band, that was warranted. Once you enter, it feels like a sauna and everyone is drenched in sweat and it's crowded. Again, something that can be expected when there's a live band and people are trying to dance. However, what really did not rub me the right way was the way the bartender treated all the patrons. My friend was very dehydrated and did not want to continue drinking so I ordered myself a beer and water, and it seemed like I had asked the bartender for the most difficult of tasks. I understand it may be busy and you may not enjoy the job, but you do not need to slam/slide drinks down and act like you don't have the time of day for anyone. A stranger next to me ordered a drink and when told there was a minimum for a tab/card, she said it was fine and would order more and the bartender told her to figure it out and move on and started helping another patron, it was a very odd and insulting experience. read more

Ripped my canned drink out of my hand upon exiting... and cut my hand open. Blood drawn -I was upset and disrespected. Disregard for human decency and total a holes; I get it but, like, no. Will I be coming back? Totally. Like duh. Do I think the employees are a-holes? - like yeah. Thx for coming to my Ted talk... thats my review. read more

Douchebags and Cougars. That was my experience at the Box. Cool place, sure. Decent drinks available at the bar but, the service is much better if you are an MTV type sporting cleavage. The music was ok (It was loud for sure). And the whole place turns into a three-ring circus when closing time arrives. My ears were still ringing as I watched a guy fighting with his Cougar friends about going/not going home with a guy who wasn't said Cougar's husband/significant other. That's when it occured to me: I'm either too old or not drunk enough to appreciate this. read more

There's nothing I can say that will describe how much I love the box. 4 dollar bud lights, an outdoor area where you can take your beer and smoke a lung dart, and the crowd is always solid. Just go, it's awesome. read more

We literally got here for a drink before head to dinner and the place was pretty empty on Sunday evening around 7 pm... The bartender was absolutely rude and he had an attitude but hey... Maybe after the few drinks and shots he had for himself will help! We stopped by because the reviews were good but apparently we stopped by at the wrong day and wrong time?!who knows?!! Just very disappointed but who cares?!!! read more

I stayed away from this bar with everything I had during the summers I spent there. The place was always packed with everybody and thing visiting Nantucket which I loathed. Also, since I didn't have a car, making the walk down Pleasant Street in the dark never sat well with me; parts of the way the sidewalk would break off and you are forced to walk on the road where few street lights are placed. Come October and November (and friends with cars!), this place became much friendlier. I celebrated a Halloween here and had a blast dancing to some unpretentious cover band dressed as the Chilean miners and running into practically everyone I know. I got to celebrate each run-in with shot after shot...of...hm, I don't remember what, except it was fun! To meet the man behind the Chicken Box, one has only to walk over to New Town Cemetery on the other side of the Stop & Shop, closer to Sea Grille. There, you'll find a shiny granite tombstone with few words, but you'll know it when you see it. read more

Four stars for what it is...a fun, dirty, divey joint where the people watching is prime, the beers don't stop comin' and the music is loud. Saw a great reggae band here (New Kingdom) last week. People were dancing, drinking, getting handsy, having fun, playing pool (the bar, very smartly, doesn't allow darts after a certain point) and the best part: bar shuffleboard. Folks either end up here at the end of the night or they drink all night long...either way, people are usually pretty drunked up at the Chicken Box. Know what you are getting into and you will have a BLAST. read more

A fun spot to hit on my trip to Nantucket. A low key casual spot with plenty of good drink options from beers to liquor and games. Pool, darts, shuffleboard. They also offer lots of live music opportunities. Got to see The Expendables during my time there and it was a great time. Good crowd ranging from younger to older people. Loved the Box!!! read more

I love a good dive, and I love love love the Box. It's one of those places you never though you'd go after you turn 21, but you can't stop coming back. Many a night have I spent dancing on the stage, with a tambourine stolen from the band. If only they took a credit card! read more

The Box! The first bar I ever went into before I even drank! Can you imagine such a thing? It's also the bar that I had a tooth chipped, thanks Natalie! The bar that I one day found they were having a local's only party and gave free raw bar, yes, i still remember that day fondly. The bar that I sat outside of in my cab night after night... Including a few winter nights where I learned the stank of a drunk. And the bar that made me realize that exits in bars should be big, really, really big... You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here... read more

Place to go if: 1. You want to go on the dance floor, try to enjoy the band and get splashed by drinks getting thrown in all different directions around you 2. Bumped, pushed, shoved by everyone and anyone (without an excuse me) 3. Get hit on by the dirtiest men in Nantucket 4. See the drunkest people, by that time the slobs of Nantucket. Nantucket is a lovely island, I'd suggest anywhere but here for a fun night out! read more

As mentioned by many other reviewers, don't open a tab here, the bartender steals. I had one drink and when I asked to close my tab the bartender said he couldn't find it. A few days later I had a very large charge on my credit card, and they were dismissive and then unresponsive when asked to address the situation. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but the lack of professionalism shown by everyone I contacted proved that this business as a whole has an appalling lack of integrity. I warn you to pay cash and double check your bill! read more

Five stars. Sound guy Joel is great. Bar tenders are great and punctual; Especially if you're in a band and need to get to the stage quick. If you're screwed and your iPhone is dying at the bar you can ask the sound man for a charge. There are always cabs outside. Drinks are great lots of pool tables. Only downside is that it's too fun and then the bar closes at one a.m. Great. read more

The Chicken Box - Dive Bars Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

Watch your tab folks. The bartender said he comped the two (2) drinks my friend ordered for us and she ended up with a $65 charge. Attempts to rectify this with the bar were unsuccessful. read more

Ahh memories. I don't know if I've been here legally, but used to go as a little girl w/ my Dad on our bike rides around the island. He would have a beer and I would sip on a sprite or coke. I never really understood why he liked this place so much because it wasn't that exciting for a 10 yr old, but between my brothers and my father, our family probably owns 20 BOX t-shirts and hats, and countless stickers collected over a few decades. My father sticks them on every vehicle he owns. It was always a good conversation starter when I drove his old car in college; "Uhh...why do you have a sticker that says BOX on it?" Usually I'd have some smart-ass reply like, " 'cuz I have one." If you're ever in Harbour Island Bahamas, and see a golf cart roll by with a BOX sticker, you better believe Captain Raven has left his mark. There's probably about 20 on the island that's 3 miles by 1/2 a mile... I guess the 5 stars come down to family tradition, but everyone I know who knows of the Box, loves it. You simply can't go to Nantucket without making a stop at the Box. As my father says, "Any man that knows the Box, is alright with me." (as he said with delight upon hearing I was dating a guy who has his own collection of box paraphernalia) read more

If this review would deter or draw patrons to the chicken box, I would be more thorough, but let's just say I have never received such poor service in my life. The tab was asked for, and after the bartender yelled at us to "wait our turn", he proceeded to wait on approximately 30 minutes of other people before returning... then pretending to not find our card, and finally taking another 10 minutes to walk back to us while looking at us and talking to other waitstaff. Being in the industry previously, I totally understand dealing with unreasonable people, but this was wildly uncalled for, and everyone around us was applauding my husband and I for not exploding. Never. Again. read more

The Chicken Box - Avoid as your server... everyone else was punctual, friendly and helpful - Dive Bars Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

If you are looking for a laid back fun time bar with friendly people, this is your place. This is also the place to come see live bands when they are performing on the island read more

The box is the spot for live music on the Island. Drinks were cheap and well sized compaired to most bars in town. People were hammered here... Entertainment was Donovan Frankenreiter for the evening, pretty big deal as the show was sold out both nights!! read more

Great drinks, good service and nice place to hang with the locals. If you are over 21 years of age, it is a must see on Nantucket.

We love the box! Another Nantucket super island hot spot that promises lots of really drunk touchy guys and girls! The live entertainment is always excellent and getting the drinks are fast and they are strong. You can even enjoy a game of pool. read more

The Chicken Box - a man playing a guitar and a woman singing - Dive Bars Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

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Horrible experience. I went on a Friday night, the cover was $25 to get in alone per person. I went up to the bar to grab my first two drinks, the bartender took my order and walked away. A different bartender comes over with the drinks and asked me for my card. I was confused because I didn't order with this particular bartender but he explained that he was with the person I ordered from and it was fine. I gave him my card and as he walked away the lady I ordered with brought me two more drinks. she said charge him for four, which was ridiculous. I was very respectful, but they were being extremely unprofessional. The bartender started swearing at me that I was in the wrong. The manager came over and asked if there was an issue; which I said no I am just very confused as to what's going on. He poured out the 4 drinks they charged me for and kicked me out. I looked at my credit card charges and they charged me over $150!! Do not go here. read more

Chicken was outstanding. Dined outside due to Covid-19. Server was friendly and attentive. Great place for a quick and delicious bite.

This place is amazing--once you're drunk. Local jerk dudes, preppy snobs from Connecticut, skanky island girls, a handful of NYC homos and a bad cover band tossed together like a Cobb salad with cheddar cheese instead of Roquefort and baked beans instead of garbanzos. And--doused with too much Thousand Island dressing. I'm most proud of the fact that we rang up a $500 bar tab and then got thrown out for our biggest and bravest hipster trading punches with a groomsman from a wedding on the island that night who insulted our crew. read more

We stopped in at the Chicken Box because my favorite author, Elin Hildebrand mentions this bar in her books. We were lucky and got to meet the owner, Rocky, who contacted Elin and asked her to stop by so we could meet her...and we were soooo lucky and got to meet her today!! Thank you so much Rocky!! You are such a sweetheart!! I feel so fortunate! Not only did we get great service at the Chicken Box, but got to meet Rocky and Elin Hildebrand!!!!! read more

I mean this is standard if you are in Nantucket....its kind of dirty but charming in that way of island bar meets girls with gucci handbags, and its a mix of all people for sure...as much of a mix you can get out there...but I love it and have many many fond memories at this place...oh and they do take credit cards now.... read more

Go here for cheap(er) drinks, dancing, and for feeling grungy. The Box is a world class dive bar with a salty aftertaste. It does take a certain level of commitment to leave the "Barmuda Triangle" of Straightwharf, the Gazebo, and the Tavern (some would throw Cap'n Tobey's in the mix for good measure) on a busy night and head out of town, but it is always worth it. Always. read more

The box needs to get a new ID system !!!! They have ruined many nights by not letting of age friends into the bar, I wouldn't recommend this bar to anyone taking a taxi or on a cold night read more

The Good: Arrive b4 9pm and avoid the cover charge...since the bands are not really good enough to pay for. Shoot pool until music starts. Dance and rub up against hot chix as they stumble around drunk prepping for their friends' weddings. It is like any drunken fraternity party you have ever attended. The Bad: Music is always too loud, so wear ear plugs. Those new disco laser lights they added hit you square in the eyes...very irritating. Always hot, skanky humid in there, so wear shorts and Tshirt. The Great: I was in there Sat night and saw some 40 yr old wallet from NY with his 6' tall 24 yr old rocketship Victoria Secret model girlfriend......and she was NOT even the hottest chick in the bar. I am not kidding. This dive bar is that stocked with talent. read more