The Best Places To Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day In Boston
Boston, Massachusetts is the place to be this year to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. South Boston, also known as “Southie” to the locals is a heavily populated Irish community in the Boston area. Read our suggestions for places to visit, eat, and celebrate in Boston this year as you enjoy all the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities the city has to offer.
The Annual St.Patrick’s Day Parade
Make your way to South Boston to participate in one of the most entertaining Saint Patrick’s Day parades in the entire U.S. This year the parade will take place on Sunday, March 15 at 1 pm. It will start at the Broadway T station and ends at Andrew Square in South Boston. The best place to watch the parade is anywhere along Broadway street. You’ll be dazzled by the green & white confetti, large floats, marching bands, and bagpipes hailing from Ireland and all across the U.S.
The Black Rose
In Faneuil Hall, The Black Rose is a must-stop on your travels through this historic city. A great pub to visit to eat delicious food and experience a true Irish Pub!
The Rose is so much more than a watering hole. In 1976, Phil Sweeney and Richard McHugh opened the Black Rose and so began a new era of Boston Irish pubs that still flourish to this day. The Rose was the first pub in downtown Boston that was distinctly Irish. There were traditional Irish music every night and poetry readings that led to many flocking here and it became a popular gathering place.
It has been called one of the best pubs in America and consistently one of the best pubs in Boston. Today the pub is owned and operated by the Glynn Hospitality Group, a family-owned restaurant started by P.J.Glynn, who emigrated from Country Galway to Boston over 60 years ago.
The Black Rose offers live music 7 nights a week! So if you’re looking for a place that has great music, good food and chill vibes visit the Black Rose.
JFK Library
On March 14, 2020, the JFK library welcomes you to listen to the stories of Irish immigrants in Boston through songs, poems, humor, and the like! Stop by to hear the live music of the Celtic Bells for free at 10:30 am. Enjoy the sounds of the bodhran (Irish drum) banjo, flute, guitar, and of course bagpipes!
The Druid
The Druid is an Irish pub in Inman Square located in Cambridge serving home-made Irish cuisine, American pub classics, and endless Guinness. Lunch and dinner are served daily beginning at noon till 10 pm. Try the sausage, beans & mash or the steel cut oats brunch special; Flahavan’s Irish oats topped with fresh berries & Irish whiskey cream for only $9.
There is always something going on at the Druid. Join in on Wednesday nights for Trivia with Quiz Master Dave at 8 pm. Or sit, relax, and enjoy an Irish Sessions: a gathering of folks playing Traditional Irish music on Saturdays at 4 pm or Sundays at noon.
The Druid is open until 2 am every night. Conveniently the pub has an Airbnb available for rent directly above the bar. The Druid offers a beautiful, and newly remodeled 3 bedroom Airbnb fully furnished with queen beds, 2 full bathrooms, a large and fully equipped kitchen, 2 floors for spacious living, a dining room table that fits 6-8 comfortably and lots of bright and natural light during the day. The perfect spot for travelers as well as locals looking for a home base for a few nights while in the city of Boston.
The Irish Film Festival
The Irish Film Festival will take place in Davis Square in Boston. This non-profit festival started back in 1999 and was set up to celebrate and promote Irish cinema. The Irish Film Festival provided opportunities for filmmakers to distribute and exhibit their work.
The festival was voted one of the Top Twenty Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. Don’t miss out! Purchase tickets to the 20th annual Irish Film festival online at universe.com.
The Burren
Since 1996, The Burren has been serving up an impressive traditional experience with great food and entertainment. Besides the great menu and wide selection of drinks, The Burren is the place to venture for live music. They have nightly shows featuring local, national, and international acts. Shows including music from genres such as Bluegrass, Folk, Irish, Rock, Pop, and Indie.
When here, try some local favorites such as the Guinness beef stew, fish & chips, or the vegetarian shepherd’s pie.
J.J. Foley’s
Family owned and operated, J.J. Foley’s is located right in the center of South Boston well know for being the largest Irish community in the U.S. When you enter J.J. Foley’s you not only feel that you are in an authentic Irish pub but get a real sense of the history of post-modern Boston.
Enjoy a pint of beer while watching the Patriots dominate the field or any other Boston team sporting event on the big screens in the pre-prohibition bar. If you’re looking to host a private party or work function, J.J.Foley’s will guarantee a true Irish-American experience.
J.J. Foley offers a wide range of menu choices from flatbread pizza, burgers, homemade desserts, and other daily specials. Enjoy a traditional full Irish breakfast before the Saint Patrick’s day parade. The meal includes Irish sausage, Irish bacon, black & white pudding, bachelors baked beans, 2 eggs, skillet roasted red bliss, and grilled Irish brown bread for only $12.99!
Brendan Behan Pub
Unlike most pubs that try to cram the room with the biggest screen t.v’s, the Brendan Behan Pub does the opposite. Its dark wood decor and handwritten chalk menu signages give off a well-worn feel with the intent to force customers to engage in genuine conversation over a pint or two.
Guinness headlines a large list of draft and bottled brews at this Irish pub in Boston. Located in Jamaica Plains, this pub is open 7 days a week from noon until 1 am. Every Saturday head over for dinner at 5:30 pm and you will be treated to live entertainment performances of Irish music.
At Brendan Behan Pub you have to experience the Rafa! Every Wednesday and Saturday at 3 pm, the one, and only Rafa offers a variety of traditional Mexican burritos with his homemade special salsa rojo and salsa verde. Super fresh and delicious– you don’t want to miss out on the best burritos Boston has to offer!
