Where Should I Go for Drinks in Boston?
Boston City Guide - Boston drinks round-up
Short answer: five spots, five very different nights out — a rooftop speakeasy, a raw bar hideout, a Porter Square vintage den, a Seaport lounge with harbor views, and a disco-era vinyl bar. Long answer, with exactly what to order, right below.
The Answer
The best drinks crawl in Boston right now:
Blind Duck— Back Bay rooftop, 17 stories up, dry-ice theatrics
Next Door Speakeasy & Raw Bar— East Boston, secret passcode, ceviche + cocktails
Zusammen— Porter Square, vintage glassware, pony-sized pours
Marcelino's Seaport— Lebanese-owned lounge, harbor views, sultry atmosphere
Retro Room— Back Bay, underground vinyl lounge, live disco DJ
Why trust this list: this is a first-person, tried-it-myself roundup, not a scraped "best of." Every stop below is a real night out, inspired in part by spots shared by local food and drink account @cornersofboston.
01
Blind Duck
40 Trinity Pl, Boston, MA 02116 (Back Bay, atop Raffles Boston)
A rooftop speakeasy 17 stories in the sky, with floor-to-ceiling glass wrapping the whole room and a skyline that does most of the talking. The energy leans intimate but lively, with a DJ keeping things moving and cocktails that arrive with their own theatrical, dry-ice-shrouded entrance.
What to Order
The Tierra Fuego — a clarified spicy margarita with mezcal, tequila, habanero, pink guava, yuzu, and coconut milk, served tableside in a cloud of dry ice.
Good For
Skyline views, no-reservation walk-ins, staying out until 1AM.
▶ Watch the video recap — Blind Duck
My TakeThe dry-ice presentation is a genuine moment, not just a gimmick — worth going even if you only stay for one round.
02
Next Door Speakeasy & Raw Bar
103 Porter St, East Boston, MA 02128
Tucked behind a door with a secret passcode, this East Boston raw bar speakeasy feels sophisticated and a little retro, with a domed ceiling and concrete surfaces that give the room a bunker-like hush. The kitchen and the bar are equally serious here — this is a place to actually eat, not just sip.
What to Order
The shrimp, scallop, and octopus ceviche with house-made tortilla chips, alongside the After Hours Espresso Martini.
Good For
Pairing real food with cocktails, a low-key date with a sense of discovery.
▶ Watch the video recap — Next Door Speakeasy & Raw Bar
My TakeThe ceviche alone is worth the trip to East Boston — order it for the table and don't skip the bartender's pick, the Lock & Key.
03
Zusammen
2322 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 (Porter Square)
A cozy, wood-paneled Porter Square hideaway where the music comes off a genuine vintage CD player and the cocktails arrive in glassware that looks pulled from someone's grandmother's cabinet — in the best way. The whole space feels intentional, unhurried, and built for actually talking to the person across the table.
What to Order
The Pony Negroni Bianco and the Tiny Tini — small-format "pony" pours, $8 each, made for sampling a few.
Good For
An intimate catch-up, or slowly working through their vermouth list.
▶ Watch the video recap — Zusammen
My TakeThe pony-sized pours are the move — order two or three different ones instead of committing to a single full drink.
04
Marcelino's Seaport
2 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210 (Seaport)
A Lebanese-owned cocktail lounge in the Seaport with some of the best harbor views around and an atmosphere the regulars describe as genuinely sultry. Mediterranean small plates back up a cocktail list that isn't afraid of a little spectacle — one drink came with a lollipop dipped in pop rocks.
What to Order
The Cranberry 50/50 (vodka, cranberry, fortified wines, Peychaud's bitters) or the Passion Fruit Margarita.
Good For
Getting dressed up, harbor views, a night that feels like an occasion.
▶ Watch the video recap — Marcelino's Seaport
My TakeThe Cranberry 50/50's pop-rock lollipop garnish is unexpectedly one of the most fun details on this whole list.
05
Retro Room
867 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116 (Back Bay)
An underground vinyl lounge speakeasy that drops you straight into the groovy energy of the 1960s and '70s — record-cover wall art, shag rugs, and a live DJ spinning disco. It's one of the newer additions to the city's speakeasy scene and it leans all the way into the theme, down to the drinkware.
What to Order
My Heart Is in Havana (hibiscus-infused rum, mint, lime, bitters, topped with prosecco) or the Olde Towne Scoops (peach vodka essence, fruitful liqueur, heavy cream), both served in retro glassware.
Good For
A group night out that wants to actually dance, disco lovers, a change of pace from the usual speakeasy.
▶ Watch the video recap — Retro Room
My TakeGo on a night the DJ is playing — the retro theme only really clicks once the whole room is dancing to it.
Key Takeaway
If you only have time for one stop, make it Blind Duck for the view and the spectacle. But the real move is treating this as an actual crawl: Next Door for ceviche and cocktails, Zusammen for something quieter, Marcelino's to get dressed up, and Retro Room to close the night out dancing.
Common Questions
FAQ
Where can I find a rooftop bar with a view in Boston?
Blind Duck, 17 stories up at Raffles Boston in Back Bay, has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline and stays open until 1AM with no reservation needed.
What is the best speakeasy in East Boston?
Next Door Speakeasy & Raw Bar on Porter Street is the standout — a secret-passcode entrance leads to a raw bar serving ceviche alongside a full cocktail menu.
Where can I get cocktails in Porter Square?
Zusammen in Porter Square is a cozy, vintage-styled cocktail den known for small-format "pony" pours and a well-curated vermouth selection.
Which Boston bar has the best harbor views?
Marcelino's Seaport, a Lebanese-owned cocktail lounge on Northern Avenue, is known for some of the best Boston Harbor views paired with Mediterranean bites and cocktails.
Is there a disco or retro-themed bar in Boston?
Retro Room on Boylston Street is an underground vinyl lounge speakeasy styled after the 1960s and '70s, with a live DJ spinning disco music.
Boston drinks round-up