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    Union Oyster House

    3.5 (4.1k reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Union Oyster House Takeout or Delivery

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    UNION OYSTER HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Union Oyster House

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    Union Oyster beer brewed by Sam Adams
    Stephen D.

    This would be my go to spot for oysters and their Union Oyster beer brewed by Sam Adams. The combination along with the service is a 10/10 experience. Their chowder was not. Tasted no different than any other chowder I've had outside of New England. Was hoping for something similar to the Boston Sail Loft where their chowder stands out. Corn Bread though was really good.

    Cornbread
    Menghai T.

    I got the bowl Of chowder ($14), cold lobster roll($45) , and half a dozen oyster ($23). Oyster were fresh, and sweet! The chowder was warm creamy and delicious. It was definitely up there with some of the best chowder. The lobster roll was good, but definitely overpriced for the amount of meat you get. Other restaurants have more meat of same quality for cheaper. Staff was friendly. The interior was very old and held up for it being open for 200 years. It was hot however. Very touristy, nice to say I've been but not worth going out the way for. Food(50%): 8.0 Staff/service(25%): 6.5 Value(25%): 4.5 Overall: 6.8/10

    Shoutout to the boxed Kids Mac and Cheese with text still on the elbows
    Sabrina B.

    This place is absolutely historical and a must-try... yet everyone knows it's a terrible place for food and service. The thing is, the service isn't actually rude outright. It's just too casual for you to expect anything good. Expect tepid water and sticky menus that match how dated the place is. The place itself is actually pretty neat to look around though. The famed guests that visited and the booths they sat at, the art on the walls, the historical souvenirs that are basically relics at this point... It's cool just to go. But the food sucks. I hate to be so crude, but it just does. The cornbread is just ok, a mix between normal to dry parts except you don't know where to avoid. The baked beans were mediocre, nothing different from a can, the French onion soup was somewhat decent although I grew tired of it within half a bowl, but what was hilarious is that my mac and cheese (from the kid's menu due to being full from earlier) was lackluster and still had a leftover label on it. I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous the food was. Go once and never again!

    Cornbread
    Allison C.

    Union Oyster House made for a great lunch while visiting my brother-in-law! Loved the historical charm, and we were so happy when we were sat in the famous Kennedy booth. I appreciated that there were several chicken choices on the menu for pickier eaters. The complimentary cornbread was really good, and we enjoyed the baked stuffed clams, shrimp cocktail, lobster roll, and crab cakes. Very tasty garlic aioli on top of the crab cakes. Our server was friendly and attentive, especially with refilling water. A must when visiting Boston!

    Michaela P.

    Historical restaurant/bar with a plethora of seafood options and a large wrap around bar. We got the fried calamari and some cocktails at the bar. Calamari was decent but what appears to be the star of the show were all the oyster trays that kept passing by. We did not get any, but in hindsight it would have been the smart choice. For the little bit of time we were there I must have seen 20 trays go by. I didn't have a chance to explore all the historical artwork but the vibe is there and I'm sure if it was less busy you could take your time looking around. You did feel the historical presence so even if you have no intentions of eating here could be fun to pop in for a drink just to see this long-standing gem.

    Sam Adams
    Sanchali S.

    Love, love, love this place! Union Oyster House more than a restaurant! Dining here felt like stepping back in time to the early 1800s. We were seated upstairs, with the high back wooden booths, exposed beams and old gas lamps created such an immersive and charming atmosphere. For our lunch, we ordered Sam Adams beers, the fried butterfly shrimp, and the fish and chips. Everything was absolutely delicious, and we cleaned our plates down to the last crumb! Our server was very pleasant and knowledgeable, we felt the entire staff was warm and welcoming. After our meal, we explored the other dining rooms and the small art exhibition area as well. This place is a mustttt go.

    Old school bar
    Robert D.

    This was not only historic but they also serve great food and drinks!!! This needs to be on your list of places to visit. Like beer, they also happen to be the only place that serves the Samuel Adams - Colonial. It's was REALLY good! The oysters were awesome. Shrimp cocktail was great and the service was friendly. I stopped into a bunch of cool old bars/pubs. This place is didn't disappoint. I love to look of this old school place.

    Leigh D.

    Starting part 2 of my America 250 series, which highlights businesses started in the US especially highlighting milestone years of 1826 (50) & 1976 (200) and will include various other picks in the 20th century. In terms of restaurants, any restaurant that started before the 1920's is almost non-exist today, or it's just 1 location and not in my suburban neck of the woods where I live in Maryland. Union Oyster House started in 1826, the 50th year anniversary of the US. I visited Boston in July 2014. I walked by here on the 4th of July that year, and I actually ate here on July 5, 2014. I remember I was very impressed with delicious seafood, and service was good.

    Shirley W.

    Oldest restaurant in Boston and it's good! It gets busy so make a resv! Clam chowder is creamy and full of clams, potatoes and tasty. Love the cornbread. We had the boiled lobster which is so fresh and the special scallops and shrimp on top of a tasty bed of rice in a rich creamy sauce.

    Jennifer G.

    The food here is great! I know this is a tourist hot spot. I can see why. My recommendation is to go early in the evening. We put our name in before 5pm and sat about 20 minutes later. When we left, there was a long wait. They serve everyone a nice size piece of cornbread. There are also oyster crackers on the table. I truly enjoyed the French onion soup. I actually wish the temperature was a little bit hotter for the soup. We also got the lobster casserole and the crabcakes. Both were tasty. The lobster casserole had large pieces of lobster.

    Jeremy N.

    Stopped in here for a late night bite to eat, recapping the foods that we tried earlier in the day. We both got a cup of Clam Chowder and a hot lobster roll. It hit the spot at 10pm right before they closed!

    Chicken club
    Renee A.

    This is such an iconic restaurant in Boston. That being said doesn't mean it's the best. It has a lot of history, which is really cool to see. Food is solid but not for the price. We shared the lazy man's lobster which was good but not very big. My kid had the chicken club and that was good. A solid sandwich. We went at an odd time, 3:30 pm so it wasn't crowded. I'm sure if we went at a regular meal time we wouldn't have gotten in. So for those two items and a soda the bill was $98. Yes the lobster was market price, but wow! We expected more lobster for that price! Oh forgot $20 of that was two small cups of chowder that was good too.

    Corn bread
    Ed D.

    The oldest continuously running restaurant in the US. We were intrigued to try it out for a dinner with coworkers. It's got a lot of seating, but the seating is pretty cramped. I love the decor since a lot of the wall covers tell so much history. My seat was a little wobbly so it added to the old feel . Our waitress was really nice and attentive. Food came out pretty fast. I got the clam chowder soup and the lobster ravioli. I really liked the clam chowder but the ravioli was just ok as I could barely taste the lobster since there wasn't much. I should've just gone with the catch of the day dish, which was haddock. For dessert I got apple cobbler with ice cream and it was good. The cobbler was warm and it went well with the ice cream. My coworker let me try some of his and it tasted so good.. The prices were actually pretty reasonable. Now I can say I've been there.

    Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops, Shrimp Scampi

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    15 days ago

    Our meals for four didn't live up to the hype. Seafood was okay, sides were, charitably, inedible.

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    25 days ago

    Meh. Had to go because a colleague insisted upon it. Not terrible but there are so many better options.

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    Union Oyster House Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Union Oyster House

    Are reservations strongly suggested?

    We walked in a around 5 pm and got seated within 20 minutes

    Do they allow dogs?

    I'm not 100%, but i bet they allow service animals the same as most restaurants do. There is no outdoor seating, I'm not even sure if they have outdoor tables during the summer. Personally, I would only bring my dog out with me somewhere where there… 

    Does the chowder have bacon/pork?

    Not what I had when I visited

    Are they doing reservations on Sundays?

    Yes-- we had a reservation for a Sunday recently. But our 4 some was seated at a table for 8, which wasn't cozy.

    Can you just sit at the bar and order food if you are by yourself?

    You can sit anywhere. At the bar or a table.

    Do they have a happy hour?

    Sadly no they don't. They have special cocktails from $10 to $12 as well as a bar menu but no specials on drinks or food.

    The bar is open until midnight, do they serve food (like appetizers?small plates? oysters, chowder and salad,calamari?)

    They do...but no salads. Some locals complain that the soup isn't as hot as in the restaurant during normal hours. FYI, most locals order the steamed mussels or the steamers after 10 pm...guaranteed to be hot. I've not eaten there after 10, tho...… 

    Don't you think all the marathoners should get a beer on the house? New York and Chicago sure did

    No. You'll pass out and spend 20 minutes in the tent.

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    The Daily Catch

    The Daily Catch

    4.0
    (240 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$

    We stayed close by on our recent trip to Sail Boston Tall Ships 2026 a time when up to a million…read morevisitors overwhelm all services. It was dusk the restaurant looked welcoming and relaxing. We were greeted by Mauricio who was a professional and taking care of business impressively. Anthony was our server he was on point and pleasant and never missed a beat. We started with some signature cocktails a Sicilian Sangria and a Black Manhattan both highly recommended. My wife ordered the Broiled Swordfish myself the Broiled Haddock the food was amazing!! Thanks!

    I had eaten at The Daily Catch's Brookline location years ago (it no longer exists), and I always…read moreremember it as a great meal. So when I was visiting Boston with my husband two weeks ago, I thought this Waterfront location would be a great spot for dinner on our first night in Boston. The family behind The Daily Catch opened their first business in Boston (in the North End) in 1973 - a small storefront selling calamari. Since then, it's become a bit of an institution in Boston, with several locations and now a full-service, large-menued Sicilian-style seafood and pasta restaurant. I waited an hour outside their Brookline location when I ate there years ago, and the wait was worth it. People who have eaten at their North End location may remember waiting for a bit, too. But this Waterfront location? THEY TAKE RESERVATIONS. Hallelujah. We had a reservation for around 8pm on Friday night and were seated at our table right away upon arriving. The restaurant is beautiful but understated - not flashy or too modern - with indoor and outdoor patio seating. The service was top notch. Our server was PJ, and he was incredible - helpful, friendly, always checking in with us. But even other people stopped by to make sure we didn't need anything. The menu is pretty large, and I wanted A LOT OF IT. Unfortunately, we were only two people and had to order responsibly. We shared the stuffed calamari (calamari stuffed with herbed bread crumbs, pine nuts, and raisins, and served in their red sauce); a Caesar salad (classic, and we added anchovies on top); their black pasta aglio olio (ground calamari, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, romano cheese, and parsley); and their monkfish marsala (pan-seared monkfish medallions with mushrooms in a marsala wine butter sauce). What I loved? That stuffed calamari. I had it almost ten years ago when I ate at their Brookline location. I remembered it, and we had it again. It's an incredible dish. There's a reason their black pasta aglio olio is so popular. It's a classic and very delicious. The ground calamari is such a nice touch, and the dish is fresh and super garlicky and delicious. (They serve their pastas in the pan - it's something they are known for - a charming touch!) I also think their drink menu is great. I had a great glass (or two?) of wine white from Sicily (Pietradolce Etna Bianco - a 100% Carricante grape wine from the Northern slopes of Mount Etna), while my husband had a cocktail (or two?). The only thing that kept this from being an absolutely perfect dinner was the monkfish marsala. The monkfish was cooked beautifully cooked, but I found the sauce very off. It was bizarre - it tasted like maple syrup to me. I think the marsala was too sweet or not cooked out enough or - is it possible?! - something was added for additional sweetness and the balance was off. Way too sweet for me with the fish. We ate the fish but tried to get as much off the sauce off as possible. The only miss in a meal that was otherwise wonderful in service, ambiance, food, and drink! The Daily Catch is a classic for a reason. If you've always wanted to try it, this Waterfront location is great - since they do take reservations here! Great Sicilian food in the heart of Boston.

    Photos
    Indoor Dining Room and Bar at The Daily Catch Waterfront
    Indoor Dining Room and Bar at The Daily Catch Waterfront
    The Daily Catch
    The Daily Catch

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    The Daily Catch

    The Daily Catch

    4.1
    (2k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    We ordered two fish and chips, one traditional lobster roll and one chicken wrap. The fish is so…read morefresh and delicious. Lobster roll is also very tasty compared with our favorite one at Key West. Fry is good too. Love this place. Will come back!

    I ended up eating at the original Daily Catch on Hanover Street every single night I was in Boston…read more It's that good. I can't get enough of their monkfish Marsala, usually ordered with the black squid ink pasta. There's always a line out front, and it's worth the wait. When I had the chance to bring a colleague at the end of the trip, he ordered the same dish and loved it. This is not a fancy place and it isn't trying to be. It's seriously good Italian seafood with epic portions. Go easy on the bread they bring with olive oil and spices because the plates are huge. I can rarely finish a full meal after an appetizer, so I usually just order the main. I'm excited they now have a location in Pasadena, California, which is convenient for my work travel. I can't wait to try it. PRO-TIP: there are a couple other locations nearby. Same good cooking. If you don't want to specifically eat in the original location, then it may be faster to pivot to Daily Catch Takeout Window at 331 Hanover Street, two doors from the original or the full service Waterfront site at 65 Atlantic Avenue which is an 8 to 12 minute walk from the original location through the North End streets.

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    Kitchen
    Kitchen
    Fried Calamari
    Fried Calamari
    The best meal I had in Boston. Get their world famous Lobster Frav Diavolo!

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    The best meal I had in Boston. Get their world famous Lobster Frav Diavolo!
    Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston

    Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston

    4.1
    (4.5k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Let me get the one negative I have about this place out of the way - NO AC!…read moreIf you happen to want to try Giacomo's, make sure it isn't humid or overwhelming hot like how it was for my family and I, otherwise you will be suffocating. I felt horrible for the chefs in the back and the staff who were working amidst the flames in that heat for hours, wow. However... given the circumstance and the appropriate weather, Giacomo's might just be one of the most scenic and atmospheric spots in all of Boston's Little Italy in the North End. I can promise you, if you're looking for good quality Italian food with no fillers in portioning or shortcuts in meal quality and preparation - Giacomo's is for you. Some of the best bites of food I've had in recent memory from any place I've been to period! The joint and the staff have such class and professionalism, it's an experience all to itself. I will be back next time to sample more of their delicious and famous seasonal menu items and wine pairings. Cash only spot as of right now and I'm unsure if they plan on changing it, so be mindful of that.

    **Cash ony/ First come first serve**…read more Delicious Italian food, note the portions are large. Ordered bruschetta, meatballs and clam chowder for apps, clam linguine, lobster fra diavolo and penne bolognese - and everything was really good. Sauces are made in house and you have the option to pick your pasta, sauce and seafood option or select from an extensive menu. Food was flavorful and came out piping hot. Service was friendly and efficient. We were seated downstairs and ambiance was casual. Cash only and they have an ATM machine inside. First come first serve, lines can look imidating but moved pretty fast. Overall, if you are looking for delicious Italian food Giacomo's is a solid option.

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    More menu
    Frutti di Mare Linguine
    Frutti di Mare Linguine
    Open dining room

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    Open dining room
    Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf

    Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf

    3.6
    (1.9k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$

    Went here after seeing some amazing whales, was very hungry and the food came out pretty quick. Our…read moreserver wasn't very attentive and gave us an empty katchup bottle. My glass was cracked and my sisters food had a pube in it... other wise the food was pretty okay. It took very long to get our bill. Just wish there was better service.

    What a MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE! I have been to Legals…read moreother restaurants and each had its own distinctive charm! But this one has a very gracious check- in Staff and will give you a first class experience with maybe special requests and a certain table! You have such exceptional Staff especially for the outdoor seating! The Hostess SERAFINA, is a great Ambassador in greeting you and your guests to Legal Seafoods with a very pleasant personality! I requested a window table with our group and it HAPPENED! I requested that a Birthday Surprise be brought to the table discreetly and it HAPPENED! The food was tasty and delicious and served by a very helpful and professional server: NOLAN M. He was attentive, he was personable, he was patient, and made it wonderful even with this restaurant was totally busy and full! The staff had every thing under control and went smoothly! It was great our reservation was for 7:15 and we were seated at that time! That's awesome! Thanks! It was the perfect spot to see the Sail Boston Fireworks ending the best Sail Boston 250!

    Photos
    Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf
    Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf
    Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf

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    Bostonia Public House

    Bostonia Public House

    4.2
    (2.3k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    Our team at Suffolk University has had the pleasure of hosting two major graduation celebration…read moreevents at Bostonia Public House, and both experiences have been nothing short of extraordinary. While the beautiful venue, incredible food, and attentive staff certainly deserve recognition, the true reason these events have been so successful is Rob, the Events Manager! From our very first conversation, Rob has been an absolute professional and a genuine partner in every sense of the word. Planning large-scale celebrations can be complex, but Rob makes the entire process feel effortless. He is responsive, thoughtful, detail-oriented, and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure every aspect of the event exceeds expectations. His commitment to hospitality is evident in everything he does. He took the time to understand our goals, our students, and the significance of these celebrations. It is rare to find someone who combines professionalism, expertise, and warmth so naturally. The Events Team and staff reflect this standard. Every member of the team has been welcoming, accommodating, and dedicated to providing exceptional service. Our graduates, families, faculty, and staff consistently leave talking about how wonderful the experience was, and that is a direct reflection of the culture of hospitality Rob has cultivated. If you are considering hosting an event in Boston, I cannot recommend Bostonia Public House highly enough. Ask for Rob...you will quickly understand why he is such an incredible asset to the organization! His dedication, professionalism, and genuine care for his clients set the gold standard for what event hospitality should be. We are already looking forward to being back next year.

    Ate here for breakfast. My friend accidentally insulted the waitress by criticizing her opinion of…read more"the best thing on the menu". Not only did she not kick us out, she proceeded to help him understand how a bloody mary should be constructed. She might have thought he was special. Stern, but fair.

    Photos
    Seating by the Bar
    Seating by the Bar
    BPH Clam Chowder
    BPH Clam Chowder
    Spiked Matcha Latte

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    Spiked Matcha Latte

    Union Oyster House - seafood - Updated August 2026

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