Quintessential dive bar provides Suffolk students and downtown workers with a casual spot for watching the game over cheap drinks.
(617) 245-0229
9 Bowdoin St
(Cambridge Street)
Boston,
MA
02114
42.3611
-71.0629
Neighborhoods: Beacon Hill, Back Bay
What People Are Saying About Red Hat Cafe
The Owner
Red Hat Cafe
Owner
The Red Hat Cafe is located in historic Scollay Square in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The Red Hate Cafe is one of six businesses left from Ole Scollay Square and to this day remains one of the oldest bars in Boston, 99 years and still counting. Painted murals of Old Scollay Square adorn the walls as a reminder of a place most patrons are too young to remember. Drinks may be the main attracton, but there is an all new menu full of affordable food as well, from sandwiches to lobster ravioli. Enjoy your lunch or dinner in the newly renovated upstairs dining room and bar. The renovated…
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short – Cheap bar snacks, cheap pitchers of beer and plenty of TVs combine to yield a solid dive bar experience at the Red Hat. Wildly mixed crowds tend to include a combination of the following: college students, construction workers and State House employees. Only a 10-minute walk to the TD Banknorth Garden, this is one of the cheaper spots for pre-game drinks.
11/06/08
At the bottom of the Hill yet going downhill
by jspiker1974 at Citysearch
This place used to be a go-to, comfortable dive for me. A couple years ago it was purchased by a corporation and it just gets worse every day. You can still get reasonably cheap beer and the physical improvements have been good without affecting the basice atmosphere. But that's about all there is to recommend this place anymore. The staff has become disinterested. The music has become very loud. And, worst of all, the food--which used to be excellent bar food for the price--has become downright lousy. The menu has been pared way back. The food quality, even moreso. But the prices have gone up. The Hat used to have some of the best Buffalo wings around. I now regard them as some of the worst. Bit by bit, the sauce has got thinner and thinner with less and less flavor. The sauce is now so thin, in fact, that you cannot get any on your wings; it will run off that easily. Ten-cent wings (Monday and Tuesday nights) that you don't want to eat aren't a bargain, even if they are just 10 cents. On top of that, they have begun charging for extra Buffalo sauce (which will run right off the wings anyway so why bother right?). I have stopped going to the Hat altogether now.
04/22/07
a total dive. cheap wings.
by schevaiswood at Citysearch
it's a bit of a walk but this is where i like to go pre-game for garden events. they have cheap beers and free popcorn.
09/10/06
Best drinks in town!
by distanttraveler at Citysearch
I've visited a lot of bars in a lot of towns in a lot of different places. I always come back to the Red Hat for two things...good drinks and good company. Like the "expert" review indicates, I started at this place as a Suffolk student and it's been my go to spot every time I return to Boston. You can't beat the food, you can't beat the prices and the one constant that has been there since my college days....Chris the bartender! The entire place has been completely redone, so you get the ambiance and atmosphere of a "fine dining" eatery upstairs, but you can still hang out and watch the games on the flat screen TV's downstairs. It's a great place to kick back and just be yourself while enjoying drinks and friends.
- Pros: Drinks, food, Chris the Bartender
- Cons: Like all Boston bars, they close at 2 am
The Details on Red Hat Cafe
Save Money:
On Monday and Tuesday enjoy 10 cent wings.
When to Go:
Wednesdays (9pm-11pm) are trivia nights.
Category:
Restaurants, Sports Bars, Neighborhood Bars, Bars & Pubs, Dive Bars
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
Bar & Pub Special Features:
Bar & Club Special Features:
Minimum Age:
21
Smoking Permitted:
No
Message from Red Hat Cafe
- new menu
- 10 cent wings mon & tues
- oldest neighborhood bar
The Red Hat Cafe is located in historic Scollay Square in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The Red Hate Cafe is one of six businesses left from Ole Scollay Square and to this day remains one of the oldest bars in Boston, 99 years and still counting. Painted murals of Old Scollay Square adorn the walls as a reminder of a place most patrons are too young to remember. Drinks may be the main attracton, but there is an all new menu full of affordable food as well, from sandwiches to lobster ravioli. Enjoy your lunch or dinner in the newly renovated upstairs dining room and bar. The renovated upstairs dining room and bar is also available for your private parties with a seperate function menu to choose from. Stop by and check out the subtle changes we have made to one of Boston's oldest drinking and dining establishment.
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