Boston's Best New Bars Of 2013
Asta
47 Massachusetts Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 585-9575
www.astaboston.com
Located on Marlborough Street in the city's Back Bay neighborhood, Asta is a chic and classy bar and restaurant with an experimental, inventive menu of food to go along with an extensive wine listing. Although Asta doesn't fall in line with any of the city's numerous Irish and dive bars, it serves as a great place for dates, couples and foodies to head to for a cerebral indulgence of their culinary senses while simultaneously spoiling their taste for spirits. This is one highly recommended new venture.
Tunnel
100 Stuart St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 357-5005
www.tunnelboston.com
Tunnel Boston is a new champagne and dance bar in the city, located near Boylston Station and Washington Street, and features a bright and modern looking decor to go along with a selection of fine bubbly, spirits and beer. Although Tunnel commands a fairly high cover charge for entry at $30, its fairly exorbitant ladies do get in free on weekends, the place is still finding its creative feet in Boston's admittedly crowded underground scene. Still, if a group outing or girls night out is in the cards, Tunnel makes a good option for avoiding long lines and crowds for a night out in Boston.
Frost Ice Bar
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 307-7331
www.frosticebar.com
The concept of an "ice bar" – that is, a freezing cold bar carved of ice and requiring customers to wear the warmest of clothing – is nothing new, however Frost Ice Bar in Boston is the first to bring the idea to this city. Frost, located in Faneuil Hall Marketplace, charges a hefty price tag for cover at $20 per customer. Yet it's the EXPERIENCE of Frost that makes a visit worth the cash, as it's something which has heretofore been unavailable to New Englanders, many of whom are already used to sub-zero temperatures during our cold winters. Still, the idea of sipping drinks alongside amazing ice sculptures and decor is a novel one, and certainly worth a visit.
Back Bay Harry's
142 Berkeley St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 424-6711
www.backbayharrys.com
Located between Columbus Avenue and Stanhope Street in the city's Back Bay, as if you couldn't guess by the name, Harry's is a new bar and restaurant which could still serve as one of the city's hidden secrets, offering a selection of beer, wine and specialty drinks to go along with an equally varied menu of food options, which range from comforting classics (meatloaf) and small plate appetizers to a series of steak dinners which can range in price upwards of $25 or more. As such, Back Bay Harry's is primarily a dressy, drinks 'n dinner affair which, nevertheless, warrants some attention.
Warehouse Bar & Grille
40 Broad St.
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 936-4383
www.thewarehouseboston.com
The Warehouse Bar & Grille is located on Broad Street in the city's Financial District and presents a homey, familiar atmosphere, especially when compared to some of the other high-profile examples on this list. Still, being located in the Financial District means that a bit of the Warehouse's food menu, which consists primarily of comforting classics and pub food, can be a bit on the high side, although the place as a whole is affordable enough for a weekend pub crawl. Seasonal beers and mixed drinks lubricate this crowded and boisterous place quite nicely, making Warehouse Bar & Grille a worthy contender for any guys or girls night out.
George Pacheco has been writing professionally about arts and entertainment for over a decade. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, George currently resides in a humble New England home with his wife, cat and massive music and film collection. His work can be found at Examiner.com.
