Boston Bar Irish Pub

104 Hanover St, Edinburgh EH2 1DR

About This Pub

Ah, Boston Bar in Edinburgh – it's one of those places that really pulls you in with its energetic Irish pub feel, especially if you're up for catching a match or just enjoying a chat over a pint. From what I've gathered from the reviews and my own thoughts, it's got this brilliant atmosphere that livens up the evening, and some dishes like the spice bag are absolute winners – think tender chicken, smashing potatoes, and fries that hit the spot just right. The team behind the bar are proper attentive too, making sure you're looked after without any fuss. But, let's be honest, it's not all roses; a few folks have mentioned the drinks menu is a tad sparse and the prices feel a bit steep for what you get. Then there's the food, which can be hit or miss – some meals came out overcooked or not quite as promised, like that disappointing Bloomin Onion or dry burgers that left a bad taste. Still, with an overall rating pushing 4.6, it's clear most people have a good time, so if you're heading out for a night in the city, I'd say give it a go, but maybe keep expectations in check and skip the dodgier menu items.

Pros and Cons

Pros

The atmosphere is absolutely buzzing, especially during events like rugby or fight nights – it's a proper lively spot that gets everyone in the mood.
Some of the food hits the mark brilliantly, like that spice bag which is hearty and full of flavour with tender fried chicken and tasty sides.
The staff are spot on with their service; they're attentive and make you feel right at home, just like Jess did for that group watching the rugby.

Cons

The drink selection feels a bit limited and the prices are on the steep side, which can leave you wanting more for your money.
Food can be inconsistent – some dishes like the Bloomin Onion or that double smash burger turned out overcooked and disappointing, not living up to the hype.
It gets incredibly packed at times, making it tough to get around, and there are areas cordoned off that might not add much value in a crowded space.

Contact Information

104 Hanover St, Edinburgh EH2 1DR

+441316030103

Irish pub

Opens at 11:00

Opening Hours

Monday	16:00 - 01:00
Tuesday	11:00 - 01:00
Wednesday (Today)	11:00 - 01:00
Thursday	11:00 - 01:00
Friday	11:00 - 01:00
Saturday	11:00 - 01:00
Sunday	11:00 - 01:00

Location

Recent Reviews

Was really looking forward to visiting and had high hopes but left a bit disappointed. The drink selection is fairly poor but the prices still high, and the food is ok but not like folk seem to be raving about it. DO NOT waste your money on the Bloomin Onion - they need to go back to the drawing board with that dish. Service is fine, if you like being asked how everything is every ten minutes (it was slow, to be fair). Atmosphere is quite good, though, and despite having a high amount of kitsch on the walls there are elements of the tiling, decoration, and structure of the place that is quite high quality.

Kenny McCartney

Great new addition to the town. Went on fight night. It was great, was very busy, which I have no issue with with. But in an absolutely packed place where it's really hard to get about, does there really need to be a whole area cordoned off for music? Selection is bountiful and prices are exwctlt what you expect in the city centre... But shoutout to the chef, food was absolutely amazing! Would come back, but not on a day something is on. Place did feel cramped.

David Chalmers

I know I’m coming in with the 2 star review sounding like a hater. It’s based on an abysmal lunch experience where the food was entirely not what we expected. There were 4 people in my group. One ordered a classic double smash (beef over cooked, dry, bun burned), two of us ordered the bourbon brisket plate, one ordered the chicken schnitty. Only the chicken ended up being decent. The brisket has zero bourbon flavor, it’s overly priced for some scant shavings of dry flavorless beef with a side of boring potato chips. We should’ve paid 1 pound more for the chicken schnitty and gotten a real meal with ample portions. This was unfortunately the single worst meal I had in Edinburgh. Lesson learned - don’t order the bourbon brisket plate”large plate.”

Kay

There was a bustling atmosphere on this cold Wednesday night as I checked out this latest bar opening in Edinburgh city centre. Their spice bag had caught my attention on Instagram and it lived upto the hype. A hearty portion consisting of tender fried chicken, nutty smashed new potatoes, fries and sauteed peppers, the only disappointment was there was nowhere near enough curry sauce. We also ordered the brisket loaded fries, which was well made also but again didn't have enough blue cheese dip to deal with the size of the portion. Service was good but food took quite a long time to arrive. The beer selection is pretty average to say the least, but you're going to go for Guinness more often than not in an Irish bar! It wasn't the best pint either: lacking carbonation and slightly too warm. Saving grace was it was reasonably priced.

Phil Cook

Definitely worth a visit if you’re able to, we had a table booked for the rugby today, and we felt well attended to whenever we wished to order food or drink. Having music being played definitely added to the the atmosphere, and Jess the waitress was very well attentive and gave us excellent customer service. Highly recommend you visit here!

Lewis Petherick