The Boston Area's Best Bars To Celebrate Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is a celebration of decadence; a day where revelers gather together and join in the sort of hedonistic activity normally reserved for the sort of 'end of the world' parties one might see in a movie. Dancing, drinking and every sort of excess are celebrated with the sort of infectious energy which could only emanate from the city of New Orleans, with all of its steeped history and tradition. Here are five of the city's best bars to celebrate this one-of-a-kind New Orleans party; the kind where any Bostonian can feel like a Mardi Gras professional.
Hurricane O'Reilly's
150 Canal St.
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 722-0161
www.hurricaneoreillysboston.com
Located between Traverse Street and Causeway, Hurricane O'Reilly's serves as one of the city's preferred sports bars when it comes to fans wanting to catch a Bruins or Celtics game during the week with no cover charge. However, during Mardi Gras season, Hurricane O'Reilly's transforms itself into a jazz haven, doing its best to replicate the atmosphere of the New Orleans' week-long party. Food and drink specials are the order of the day here, and Hurricane O'Reilly's does a great job at replicating the fast 'n loose atmosphere of The Big Easy.
The Greatest Bar
262 Friend St.
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 367-0544
www.thegreatestbar.com
The Greatest Bar isn't more than a hop, skip and jump away from Hurricane O'Reilly's and would be a great stop on a Mardi Gras-themed pub crawl for Bostonians. Centered on Friend Street in between Traverse and Causeway, The Greatest Bar features DJ, drink specials and door prizes for its Mardi Gras celebrations, as well as masks and costumes for those revelers seeking out their fair share of beads and baubles. Four floors of space promises plenty of room for party people to go all out for Mardi Gras Madness.
TT The Bear's Place
10 Brookline St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 492-0082
www.ttthebears.com
Venturing over to Cambridge, TT the Bear's knows how to get its hands dirty when it comes to replicating The Big Easy's reputation for drink 'n debauchery. Most Bostonians view TT the Bear's primarily as a live music venue, and this is something of which TT's takes full advantage, offering up some of the best and brightest local talent from the city's massive musician pool. TT the Bear's celebrates the arts every Mardi Gras season, with a percentage of its weekly proceeds in the past having gone to the New Orleans Musicians Clinic; a nice way to give back to a sister city that has done so much for music lovers everywhere...while also suffering some big tragedies.
Related: Boston's Best Free Art Activities
Tupelo
1193 Cambridge St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 868-0004
www.tupelo02139.com
Tupelo is a place for the quieter Mardi Gras patrons to spend a little down time, either for some post-celebratory dinner or the perfect pre-game nosh. Either way, Tupelo provides a bevy of Southern-inspired dinner fare to run alongside its beer and wine selection, suiting perfectly for date night dinner or a casual lunch. Tupelo also provides a sumptuous Sunday brunch menu to get the engines running for revelers who simply can't wait to get their dance and drink on this Mardi Gras season.
Tryst
689 Massachusetts Ave.
Arlington, MA 02476
(781) 641-2227
www.trystrestaurant.com
Tryst is located a bit away from the hustle and bustle of bust Boston life, perhaps serving as a perfect Mardi Gras getaway for friends or couples seeking their own personal Mardi Gras experience. Each year, Tryst features a Mardi Gras-themed menu that specializes in Southern cuisine with a Cajun flair, while profits from the dinner and drink specials (including Hurricanes) will go to Louisiana foundations and charities. This is a great way to give back to the Big Easy, similar to TT the Bear's generous donations.
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.
