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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

The city's second-oldest restaurant, a lone bastion of German cuisine, has changed little since it opened back in 1868.. While Jacob Wirth's is Boston's only German restaurant and beer hall, it's a pretty authentic one. While an odd mix of regulars and theatergoing out-of-towners fill the airy dining hall's communal tables, area workers pack the front bar area to watch sports and enjoy bargain happy hour food specials. Friday nights attract exceptionally boisterous crowds for a giant sing-along that's driven by a live pianist. Harried servers keep fit by making the long walk to the bar to retrieve pints of imported German brews. The restaurant tries to please both purists and tourists by offering a split menu of familiar American fare and traditional German cuisine. This results in chicken wings and fresh cobb salads sharing table space with authentic plates of savory sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel and bratwurst. Dessert options also fall on the hearty side, as options include a dense German chocolate cake and a rich "apple pie sandwich."

Photo by Christine Liu

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onnorwoodpond

Joined 6 years ago

Best beer selection anywhere. Hundreds of beers to choose from and alot are on tap.... Unreal German food- Salads were great... has great old time ambiance as it is a very very old establishment....

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boston_dude05

Joined 7 years ago

Inconsistent. Have eaten here twice. Once I had a more traditonal German meal and an entree salad and the other time a sandwich. It's really so-so. The plus is there are lots of different beers, particularly German/Belgian ones and prices are $4-6 each. The entrees were OK, not super inspiring especially at relatively above average prices. I had a pastrami sandwich and the sandwich, esp the pretzel roll, was very good. The fries they served were soggy unforunately. I'd recommend for for ppl who really want to have German meal or are enthusiasts of German beer. Others may find that it's about average for food and value.

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michaeldv

Joined 7 years ago

Historic and Great Food. I recently ate at Jacob Wirth, and I had a great experience. We were late arriving for our reservation, and they were able to find us a table right away. Our waitress was so kind. She took the time to walk us through the menu, reccomended the right beer and steered us towards a great dessert. The Beer List is UNBELIEVABLE!!! They have imports that I have never seen before and boutique domestics that are hard to find in Boston. I wouldn't think twice about going back soon!

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mcostigian

Joined 7 years ago

Best Pre-Show Restaurant in the Theatre District. Jacob Wirth has been a tradition in my family for generations. The menu selections have changed over time, but the atmoshpere at Jake's will always be the same. It is a great place to meet-up with friends for a drink, to bring the family (they've got a great little children's menu) or to go before a show at one of teh nearby theaters.

It's casual, relaxed, teh food is great and the imported beer selection is hard to match. The service is prompt, friendly and polite. There's a valet parkign lot next door, which validtes for 2 free hours of parking (hardly common for a Boston restaurant). I definitely recommend stopping at Jacob Wirth if your in the area.

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theduke37

Joined 10 years ago

Oktoberfest in Chinatown. Good German food and lots of great beers ranging from high quality imports to very inexpensive pitchers of PBR. I thought the sauerbraten was good here, as were all the different varieties of sausage in the mixed grill.

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schimster

Joined 10 years ago

Little Germany. I feel very lucky to have stumbled across Jake's shortly after I came to Boston. After being here 5 years, it is still one of my favorite places. It is as close as you will get to the beer halls of Bavaria with great beer, awesome food, and atmosphere. I have suggested it to many people and they are never disappointed.

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nannahs_evol

Joined 11 years ago

Bar Great - Table Service Lacks. I like this place. They have a huge variety of beers and the menu has something for most everyone (it is a Germanish place). BUT... they need to clean their beer tap lines, they need a new wait staff (desperately) and they need a new recipe for Saurbraten. If you are running a German restaurant, a great saurbraten is manditory. So is tasty spaetzle for that matter... theirs is nasty.

Stick to the bar for all eating and drinking and you will be happy. Weekends can include raucous singing at the piano. Good fun if you are not looking for romantic and intimate.

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dadslittlegirl

Joined 11 years ago

Wirth a visit. I loved this place for it's ambiance. The sleepy but attentive waiter seemed to be coming off a successful binge weekend. The red cabbage and sauerkraut was so good, the bratwurst and wasserwurst(?) okay- but really pretty. The chicken pot pie delightful and flakey, the pot roast heavily beer flavored. I'd go back just because of the wooden floor, white table-cloth, saloon-y old German feeling stereotype. Oh, yes. The potato salad is great.

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Sabalom

Joined 11 years ago

Let the Good Times Roll. Still the best place in Boston to throw down a cold frosty one while soaking up the old-time Boston ambience. Some imaginative appetizers would be nice to chomp on while sitting at the bar.

No matter what and no matter what trendoid places with micro brewerys crop up Jake's is the place to go. And the more the merrier.