Eire Pub — Restaurant in Boston

The Eire Pub is the quintessential Publick House; plain and simple. The sign and reputation may say "Gentleman's Bar", but my wife and sisters have always felt welcome and were treated with respect. Ladies: fear not. The bar staff are professional, patient, accommodating, knowledgeable, and at times, downright comical, in that famous Irish tongue-in-cheek fashion. Even the ones who were born stateside. When you step inside, the patrons give you a hard look, but it's not in judgement or in a sense of "what are you doing in here?" It's more of way of identifying a friendly or familiar face. You'll feel secure and satisfied to know that there's no "Riff Raff" welcome and typical drunken shenanigans aren't really tolerated. Once you find a seat, you're family. You become part of the banter, and the regulars treat you like you are one too. There's a decent selection of liquor, though it's not necessarily "top shelf". Don't look for a 25 year single malt, or some obscure organic liqueur. Just the basics and essentials. The bottled beer is ice cold and the draft beers are varied, clean, and fresh. Your Guinness is always perfect, so remember: a proper pint takes time. The food menu has expanded in recent years. Their sandwiches, and typical fried pub-fare are worthwhile, with the portions generous and the cost fair. You can still get a steamed hotdog for a dollar, and the bartenders load the condiments on as you order them. It's a well known fact that the boneless chicken fingers (buffalo or plain) are amazing. They are made with premium quality all-white-meat and are fried to perfection, then served up in a hearty pile. Don't be afraid to order an entree for dinner either. Everything is prepared like homemade comfort food. You'll never leave hungry. The atmosphere is bright and clean, with a lot of chatter. The music or television broadcasts are not overly loud, unless there's a big game or a European rivalry football match. If you didn't like "soccer" when you walked in, you'll love it when you walk out. The place is simple but it's no dive. The environment is certainly adequate, but in no way pretentious or trendy. You'll see a grubby Union worker, a three-piece suit wearing businessman, a girl in sweatpants and a hoodie, or even a millennial in skinny jeans. If you are doing the right thing, then you'll be accepted at the "Eire". The large rectangular bar has stools on three sides with a kitchen adjacent to the fourth. The remainder of the space has tables with chairs, and a handful of booths. It is alleged that there's an Irish side and an American side, but I've sat on both never noticed a difference. I think it's just lore from the old days. Which ever door you come in, just find a seat, order a beverage, and remember to bring CASH. No credit cards here. If there's standing room only, the bartenders will always make eye contact to let you know that they'll get to you shortly, and the patrons on the stools will always make room for you to get to your drinks. Bathrooms are always clean and well-stocked with supplies, but space is at a premium. Get in, do your business, get out, and hold the door for the next person. Give respect, get respect. I live on the South Shore, but still drive the 30 minutes to grab a pint and a bite once or twice a month. If I'm heading into or out of downtown Boston, I always find an excuse jump off the Expressway at Morrissey Blvd or Granite Ave and stop in to the Eire Pub. You should too. It's well worth your drinking and...

I’ve been going to this pub for years, and I thought it was a safe haven. Turns out it isn’t. I heard a bartender make an antisemitic joke to some patrons. I’m Jewish. When I calmly and politely asked him to repeat the joke to me, he refused—because, of course, he knew it was virulently antisemitic. When I told him I was a victim of antisemitic violence—again, in a calm and polite manner—he refused to repeat his “joke.” If you’ve ever been a part of a minority group, you know what this means—“joke” is a dog whistle for overt bigotry, and the refusal to acknowledge it to the person or party is a form of gaslighting. He made it seem like I was out of line for—again, calmly and politely—asking him to repeat this “joke” to my face.

I plan on going back and reporting this to the manager and/or owner of Eire; if no one takes it seriously there, I’m sure local media will be highly interested.

Oh, and the bartender is the older gentleman with the excellent curlicued mustache I’ve complimented many times. I never thought a person who I’d had many pleasant exchanges with since I moved to this neighborhood could be...

I stopped here to pick up some takeout while staying at a nearby hotel. Looks like a cozy place to be in as long as you are a Boston sports fan (I’m a Bills fan, though, so I didn’t quite fit in). The place was buzzing, which was a welcome sight to see with pandemic fatigue setting in. Aside from the masks, you’d never know how much the world changed over the last year. As for the food, I got a pastrami sandwich with fries. Very good! But they give you a LOT of fries. I actually couldn’t finish them all. Parking in the area is limited,...