I mean...there's a reason why I commonly refer to this place as "the best dive bar in America."

I have a lot of memories of the Tam dating back to my days as a student at Suffolk University (before they politely asked me not to return). I don't get there much anymore, but when I do it's a good time. The place is small and divey with some video games and a jukebox in the back. You get a good mix of local drunks, college kids, and the occasional stranger who straggled over from the theater district. The last time I was there I ended the night drinking tequila shots with illegal aliens from South America. read more

Amazing place, great beer selection and the entire staff is top notch, from the door staff to the Barback's, everyone was so very nice and they look like they love their job, they don't serve food here but they let you bring food in which is awesome. Will be back. read more

The new owners really brought this place down. Lost the grit that gave it charm.

The drinks are cheap, strong, and served with a smile (or sarcasm). The trivia night there is the embodiment of hilarity. If I'm looking to get the heck out of the world for a little while, to the Tam I go. read more

My first dive bar find in Boston and I love it! Bartenders are cool, the atmosphere is chill, 2.25 drafts...it's just good times. The whole asking the bartender for the key thing is kind of a bummer, and when the girls bathroom overflows, well, good luck cause the mens room doesn't have a door, which is both interesting and scary at the same time, not sure what happened there. But overall, it is the divebar I've been looking for since I moved here. Yay! read more

I LOVE this bar. And I am not a dive bar kind of girl. But you can't beat the Tam for prices, and I always have an awesome night at the Tam. They also have big buck hunter. I paid $12 last night for 3 gin and tonics..... that is just amazing value. The time before when I went there, they gave me an ACTUAL PINT OF BAILEYS. I can't even describe how wonderfully wrong that is (yeah, I know why the hell am I drinking Baileys in the Tam anyway when I should be drinking the cheap cheap beer and its desperately uncool to drink Baileys). I love the random crowd at the Tam as well. Sometimes the crowd is the ultimate in sketchiness but you're always guaranteed a laugh. Last night it was the pair of lesbian midgets snogging (sorry I mean "making out" but that term just makes me cringe) in front of the toilet. Lesbian midgets. Totally and utterly awesome. read more

Nice way to wrap up a week of conventioneering. Great local bar with awesome atmosphere and cool people. Lost one star because they do not accept credit cards. Other than that it was "wicked ahhsome". read more

I remember this place like a dream...I have been here at least three times, but I suspect more...I remember cheap beer, like REALLY cheap beer...good times...and feeling like the bar was a front for some kind of mafia or scary smuggling ring...and not caring cause it was there...even though people looked like they were surprised other people wanted beer when I walked in...or maybe I did look that shit-housed after all. read more

I typically love dive bars...or at the very least appreciate them, but this is probably one of the worst places I've ever been to. It might not be fair to hold The Tam to the same expectations as Sligo or The Cantab, especially on St. Patrick's Day, but I'm going to anyway. Everything about this place was bad, the patrons, the bartenders, the atmosphere, the bathrooms the prices, the drinks. No redeeming qualities. read more

Are you looking for just the right spot to grab a drink that has a dive-y atmosphere, isn't pretentious, and isn't too hard on the wallet? This place covers all those bases. You'll have your ID checked at the door, the bartender might yell at your group for not moving into the main space fast enough, but overall this place is still great. It's pretty inexpensive considering the other options in the downtown area and the space is big enough to hang with your group without feeling too crowded. For reference, a beer was around $5.00. We went on a Thursday night - it was good crowd. If you're a fan of dive bars I'd definitely recommend this place! read more

The Tam's a dope dive bar! Lynn is the nicest bartender and drinks are reasonably priced.

The Tam was the stop after the Sam Adams tour and before the movie at the Loews by the Common. Cheap beer, drinks with more kick than than the Rockettes. It's a dive bar, nuff said. After sufficient drinks the pennies glued to the tables provided much entertainment. And since it was early they didn't mind us snagging pizza slices from next door and bringing them in for a gnosh. read more

I really liked this bar, The drinks are well priced and they pour them strong! They even have $3 tall cans of beer. I dont think they do food? but you can bye pizza slices next door and bring them in. Cash only but they have an atm. The lady that works behind the bar is friendly also. It seems like a real locals place. read more

Patrick is a god among men. Come here if you just merely tolerate yourself. 10/10 guarantee you'll leave loving yourself

Went there on a Tuesday night with a friend after a very free movie courtesy of Yelp itself, and we were not disappointed. This place is a dive bar in every sense of the word - cash only, fairly decent selection of booze, tables everywhere and awesome staff. Tuesday is apparently trivia night with a good selection of questions, and good music to match. Bonus for NY Pizza next door! Although we enjoyed ourselves on a mostly empty Tuesday night, I could see how this place could easily become much too crowded especially with its location next to Emerson and across from the Common. read more

Fun little dive bar. Place is pretty much a 40 yard hallway with decent beer prices for Boston. When in doubt grab a 16oz Narragansett Lager and make a new friend. read more

I absolutely love this bar. Me and my friend randomly came across this place when we were between two clubs. Nice friendly townie (irish) atmosphere. Drinks are suuper cheap. This is the perfect bar to pregame at!! read more

A particular staff member asked that if we weren't ordering additional drinks that we "move it along". I'm sorry that you were having trouble seating the non-existent line outside of the door. read more

MEh. one of the last dive bars in the city, but the doormen are difficult to deal with, and on many occasions it smells like raw sewage has backed up into the place. when the sewage smell is gone, and you can get a seat, its an ok place to get a beer. read more

We were too early for a show so we decided to pop in for a drink. Ordered two mixed drinks, both of which tasted like dirt. My dirty Shirley isn't supposed to have actual dirt in it. I would love to take a look at their lines and their soda gun because I guarantee they haven't been cleaned in years. After tasting this gross drink I started looking around and realized that everyone in there had a bottled beer, they knew something I didn't. Also the liquor bottles look like they have been there forever. They are COVERED in dust. Worst part of our evening. I would think a bartender who clearly looked at my barely touched drink would have checked in and asked if there something wrong with it. But no. He looked at it and ignored it, I'm sure he knew damn well it was disgusting. ***By the way, I love a good dive bar. I'm not disappointed in the place because it's a dive, I'm disappointed in the place because it's disgusting and they can't make a decent drink. *** read more

Perfect for a few cheap beers. Bring cash and enjoy the low-key environment.

Excellent dive bar steer clear of the men's room no door on the bathroom

I've been visiting Boston on a monthly basis recently, and I typically stay nearby. I found The Tam via Yelp reviews, and it's a solid dive bar. They serve strong (very strong) rail drinks in pint glasses for ~$5, and they offer a few pint/shot deals. My memory's a bit fuzzy, but I seem to also recall a good deal on shots of Jameson... read more

Cheap. College. Coors. (Yes, I get vodka drinks, but I wanted to sum this place up in three words.) read more

I would give it a 10 if possible. $5 whiskey specials that literally include a splash of whatever mixer you need, Sally. The only problem I see with this place is occasionally a good looking person or group of good looking, well dressed people stop in before or after a Wilbur show, not realizing that they are about to enter the Thunderdome. This is not a place you go to casually have a beer or two. For example, the first time I was introduced to this golden palace of booze heaven, there was a guy waiting in line in front of me, middle aged, Asian, nearly or freshly homeless. And as he walks by, the bartender says "HOLY CRAP you were drunk last night dude!" Asian man just shrugs his shoulders and walks back in to get his dirty on. Beat that! read more

All right I know that people are bitching about the fact that they only take cash, but really for less than a 20 your are going to be causing your liver more pain than it deserves with the stiff drinks that the Tam serves. I was visiting family in town last Thanksgiving and after 3 mixed drinks I was truly thankful for Boston's public transportation. The Tam is a dive bar plain and simple that ensures you do not leave sober, but leaves money in your pocket. read more

You looking for a real bar? The Tam is it! Great drinks, atmosphere and the bartenders are hilarious! Worth the stop guaranteed

Cheap drinks + the best atmosphere! Still wish they'd bring back the Buck Hunter machine, though!

I'm pretty sure the bartenders here are always drunk. But the drinks are cheap, the atmosphere is chill, the games in the back are awesome, and sometimes you'll even get free drinks (last time the bartender poured beers for someone who didn't come back for them, so we got them for free, score!). In sum, a classic dive bar. read more

Went to the Tam for a friend's birthday. All of my friends are over age, some even being closer to 30. They scanned our ID's and didn't let us in after waiting in line for over 30 minutes and rudely being told we had to wait longer due to the size of our 8 person party. We tried to be friendly but it seemed to have taken its toll. We have given them our business multiple times which didn't seem to matter. Definitely upset with the Tam for a while :( read more

Worst place I have ever been to. First night, told me they weren't accepting anyone because they close at one. Second night, they asked me what was wrong with my leg, when I said nothing he told me I wasn't allowed in. Super sketchy and shitty. Tam is shit read more

came here cause i knew the drinks were cheap, and they were, 2 beers, 2 shots, $24 and then some...but it smelled like pee...but um, seinfield was on which amused practically everyone who was there... read more

service was whatev. drinks were whatev. not strong enough and ginger ale was watered down. crowded though. vibe was cool

Cash only, dudes and dudettes. This was second on our short tour of Boston bars. Pretty empty but it was early on a Monday night. The bartender was laconic but good enough and taught me that a Jameson and ginger is called a Jamo Gin (or something like that), or at least in that bar. Again, pretty chill so count me in. read more

This is a truly great dive bar. Maybe the best in boston.

I love dive bars. My only problem with The Tam is that it made me feel like an old lady, as I did not have to show a fake ID to get in. Didn't realize that most of my new haunts are the non-college crowd. Ahhh...to be young again. Also, it is weird that they leave the girls bathroom door locked so that we have to coordinate keeping it open while swapping out. read more

Alright. I have to update my rating. Essentially, my scoring criteria is that if a place is my favorite of a category then it should be 5-stars. The Tam, being my favorite bar, has earned this coveted spot: a spot that it has held in my heart for a few years now and didn't need flashy stars to know it. read more

Last night in Boston and looking to pregame before going out to the expensive clubs, I found this perfect bar that was one of the highlights of my trip. Patrick took care of us and made some awesomely inexpensive drinks. Thanks for the great night! read more

Only had one drink here, and after waiting quite a bit for the barman to finsh his talk with one of the, I assume, regulars, he convinced me to order another beer because he knew what I was after. The cheapest drink. I thought it would be Pabst at $3.50, but there are 3 drinks for $3 each and each comes with more alochol than Pabst. Convinced. read more