Dillon's Restaurant and Bar

(617) 421-1818

955 Boylston St (Hereford Street)
Boston, MA 02115 42.3478 -71.0858

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Back Bay, Back Bay West

Hours:

Mon-Fri 11am-2am

Sat-Sun 10am-2am

Price:

$$

Last updated 9.11.08

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, Brunch, People Watching, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Hamburgers, Traditional American

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Dillon's Restaurant and Bar

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Housed in the high-profile former home of Barcode and Division Sixteen, Dillon's serves as one of Boylston Street's most fashionable eating and drinking spots. The front bar and sunken dining area, both awash in oak and mahogany, feature comfortable leather seating and retro fans. A bevy of flat-screen TVs keep sports enthusiasts engaged, while the designer cocktails' high price tags--the deathly sweet Bon Bon martini costs $10--force the collegiate set to head elsewhere. – – The Food – Young waiters camp out at the bright open kitchen while waiting for…

Editor's Tips

Where to Sit:
Summertime, make a beeline for the sunken outdoor patio, which sees far more action than the main (indoor) bar.
Know Before You Go:
Expect older, better-dressed crowds at night, when a doorman checks identification (21 and over after 9pm) and outfits (leave the ripped jeans at home).
Save Money:
Most of the starters--and all of the salads--arrive in generous portions, so save some cash by splitting one.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “We found the ambiance pleasant, the service amiable and patient, and the food delicious.”
  2. “Dillon's has a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, so it's a shame that the food lacks flavor and the service lacks any sense of urgency.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The wine was delicious and though we were offered coffee and dessert, we had our fill.”
drinks
54.54999923706055% positive
  1. “Rude & arrogant staff, slow service, horrible food - just a bad college bar”
  2. “Its a great place for young professionals to come down to after work grad some tapas and some drinks and relax.”
  3. “went to Dillon's to meet a few girlfriends for some drinks and little did I know what a great place it is!”
  4. “The wine was delicious and though we were offered coffee and dessert, we had our fill.”
  5. “From the bouncers at the door insisting that we pay him under the table to allow our friends to by pass the line, to the bar tender who added his own tip to his tab when the guest had decided not to tip him due to his appalling rude behavior, to the waitr”
  6. “The experience was so bad that our friends threw my husband a second birthday party at their home just to make up for the horrible experience we had at that bar.”
  7. “Dillon's is a pleasant break from the uppity Boylston St. You won't blow your shopping budget having a good meal & drinks.”
  8. “Dillon's has a great selection of specialty drinks and lots of good apps that are big enough to share.”
  9. “good food, great drinks, excellent service.”
  10. “The worst bar in Boston.”
  11. “lousy drinks, surly service”
food quality
88.45999717712402% positive
  1. “Rude & arrogant staff, slow service, horrible food - just a bad college bar”
  2. “read the on line reviews and wasn't expecting such great food and attentive service.”
  3. “good food, great drinks, excellent service.”
  4. “The serving staff was incredibly friendly and attentive and the food was outstanding.”
  5. “The wine was delicious and though we were offered coffee and dessert, we had our fill.”
  6. “Dillon's has a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, so it's a shame that the food lacks flavor and the service lacks any sense of urgency.”
  7. “My 16 year old son accompanied us and his BBQ chicken pizza was surprisingly tasty and his coke glass was never empty as our server brought a new one as soon as his glass got low.”
  8. “Fun atmpsphere, great/affordable food, friendly service”
  9. “Dillon's is a pleasant break from the uppity Boylston St. You won't blow your shopping budget having a good meal & drinks.”
  10. “We found the ambiance pleasant, the service amiable and patient, and the food delicious.”
  11. “Filling salads, large and very tasty pizzas, amazing burgers.”
  12. “The food is great and affordable.”
  13. “Starting with the calamari that was crispy and tasty with a very nice red sauce to dip into, followed by their excellent scallop and pear salad, I couldn't have been more delighted.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Dillon's has a great selection of specialty drinks and lots of good apps that are big enough to share.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “The outdoor patio (while not the biggest) is a great place to unwind after work.”
  2. “went to Dillon's to meet a few girlfriends for some drinks and little did I know what a great place it is!”
  3. “Its a great place for young professionals to come down to after work grad some tapas and some drinks and relax.”
service
50.0% positive
  1. “Dillon's has a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, so it's a shame that the food lacks flavor and the service lacks any sense of urgency.”
  2. “The staff at Dillon's, especially the weekend manager, was so rude to our friends that people actually left early from my husband's birthday party.”
  3. “read the on line reviews and wasn't expecting such great food and attentive service.”
  4. “Red Sox/Yankees game aside I was appalled at the attitude of the waitstaff, there complete lack of care, and the general attitude the staff used in interacting with customers.”
  5. “My 16 year old son accompanied us and his BBQ chicken pizza was surprisingly tasty and his coke glass was never empty as our server brought a new one as soon as his glass got low.”
  6. “From the bouncers at the door insisting that we pay him under the table to allow our friends to by pass the line, to the bar tender who added his own tip to his tab when the guest had decided not to tip him due to his appalling rude behavior, to the waitr”
  7. “First off starting at the door, the bouncers were ridiculously rude with the people ahead of me in line, pretty much to the point of being bigoted.”
  8. “We found the ambiance pleasant, the service amiable and patient, and the food delicious.”
  9. “Service was good; bartenders are very talkative and knowledgeable about their craft and the wait staff are always friendly.”
  10. “The serving staff was incredibly friendly and attentive and the food was outstanding.”
  11. “The service was terrible.”
  12. “good food, great drinks, excellent service.”
  13. “Fun atmpsphere, great/affordable food, friendly service”
  14. “lousy drinks, surly service”
  15. “Rude & arrogant staff, slow service, horrible food - just a bad college bar”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “Fun atmpsphere, great/affordable food, friendly service”
  2. “We order tapas and appetizers, which came in small portions and were average at best.”
  3. “The prices were quite good as well.”
  4. “The food is great and affordable.”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “Rude & arrogant staff, slow service, horrible food - just a bad college bar”
1 Star Rating: Poor

04/18/09

MEAN STAFF

by Jbug at Citysearch

I went here with a party of 9!! I have celiac disease and when I asked if they had anything Gluten Free they looked at me like I was I just asked the most impossible thing in the world.. She told me that I Should know what I can eat and got me the head chef.. He also said no and that he can't do through all of his ingredients because there are too many!! and lastly, the other worker who was just watching this adds, "so I guess you can't have anything!" So rude I spent the entire night crying and didn't eat a thing thanks to this staff who couldn't be accomodating at all and make a dish for me ! They are ignorant and that is there JOB to know this information! Don't go here for dinner!

  • Pros: none
  • Cons: RUDE
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/27/08

Fun atmpsphere, great/affordable food, friendly service

by BostonianBelle at Citysearch

Fun atmosphere, has a very stylish look without a stuffy feel to it. The food is great and affordable. Filling salads, large and very tasty pizzas, amazing burgers. Service was good; bartenders are very talkative and knowledgeable about their craft and the wait staff are always friendly. Great place to go for lunch, dinner, or an evening drink, but can get pretty packed with a late night college scene. If you don't stay there too late on Fridays or Saturdays you can avoid seeing the array of ridiculous drunk young adults making fools of themselves.

  • Pros: Food, service, atmosphere
  • Cons: Parking, weekend night's young/drunk crowd
1 Star Rating: Poor

09/23/08

Stinky bar and Scary Bouncers!

by bostonrunner20 at Citysearch

This place is always over crowded, the lower-level area stinks, you will encounter most abnoxious and ill-mannered bartenders/hostesses and the bouncers are so hostile who always look for fight with customers. On my list of restuarants and bars this one makes the bottom most entry!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

07/23/08

Great for after work drinks and apps

by beanbagger at Citysearch

The outdoor patio (while not the biggest) is a great place to unwind after work. Dillon's has a great selection of specialty drinks and lots of good apps that are big enough to share. There is usually a good mix of young professionals, students (with credit cards) and locals. The atmosphere is a lot nicer than some of the other bars on Boylston, without being stuffy. Service can be spotty, but as long as you're not in a rush, usually works out fine.

  • Pros: Outdoor seating, attractive crowd
  • Cons: Parking
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/06/08

Better than I expected

by mustlovewine at Citysearch

On the recomendation of a friend, my husband and I went to Dillon's last night. I read the on line reviews and wasn't expecting such great food and attentive service. Starting with the calamari that was crispy and tasty with a very nice red sauce to dip into, followed by their excellent scallop and pear salad, I couldn't have been more delighted. My husband opted for traditional fish and chips and was also very happy with his choice. My 16 year old son accompanied us and his BBQ chicken pizza was surprisingly tasty and his coke glass was never empty as our server brought a new one as soon as his glass got low. Though I could have brought the salad home for another whole meal, my son and husband finished it off for me....even after their rather large portions! The wine was delicious and though we were offered coffee and dessert, we had our fill. I don't know what some of you are talking about. This was a dining experience I would repeat. The serving staff was incredibly friendly and attentive and the food was outstanding. The prices were quite good as well.

  • Pros: food, service, price
  • Cons: parking

The Details on Dillon's Restaurant and Bar

Place Categories:

  • affordable food
  • patient attentive service
  • good experience
  • lousy surly service
  • rude staff
  • great place
  • worst college bar
  • filling salads
  • crispy calamari
  • rude behavior
  • comfortable atmosphere
  • wonderful tapas
  • big good apps
  • great drinks
  • incredibly friendly serving staff
  • flat stormy
  • good joint
  • filling pizzas
  • very nice red sauce
  • like barcode
  • appalled red soxyankees game
  • always friendly wait staff
  • surprisingly tasty bbq chicken pizza
  • order appetizers
  • excellent pear salad
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