Pub Crawl Doyles: St. Patricks Day preview

Bostonist can’t help but stumble upon an Irish bar just about every time we turn around. Many of the bars that claim to be "Irish Bars" in Boston are just trying to get in on the lucrative tourism market, knowing full well that the tourist won’t know the difference. Bostonist looks for a couple things to determine the true Irish heritage of a watering hole. The selection of scotch and whiskey must be good, the bar usually will stock a couple you’ve never heard of and might cost you $12 a glass. They have to serve a good selection of beer and have Guinness on a hand-pull or stout tap. Corned beef and cabbage are served at least once a week. The essential ingredient, a true tell-tale sign, is a guy at the bar with a red nose and cheeks muttering to his beer with an accent you can’t quite understand. Doyle’s on Washington Street has been exuding Irish Bar since 1882.

With a foundation in Boston’s Irish heritage Doyle’s is a large space that’s probably gotten more recognition than it deserves. It was the first bar anywhere to serve Sam Adams, back when it was still really a Boston brewed beer. If you saw Celtic Pride, please don’t admit that you have, you saw quite a bit of footage shot in Doyle’s. The acclaimed Mystic River also featured Doyle’s. Politicians like to connect with the people by bellying up to the bar and proclaiming that they are just like us, Doyle’s is usually one of their campaign stops when running for mayor, governor, or senate. There is no premium on space at Doyle’s, they have three large rooms with wooden booths and rickety tables to enjoy a pint with friends. It is never that loud in Doyle’s and it is always a little too well lit. Bostonist supposes you can replace a dim-lit bar with beer goggles. Bostonist doesn’t particularly recommend the food, it is standard pub fare with corned beef and cabbage served—but the Sunday brunch that is served until 4 p.m. makes it worth getting out of bed before 3 p.m. This time of year there is a shamrock and clever slogan on signs promoting almost every type of beer. Our favorite so far "Grab a Shamrock" (an ad for Rolling Rock). The Harpoon traveling Irish Pipe Band will play a mid-afternoon stint on Thursday. The good news is that there will be no Green Beer at Doyle’s, they are Irish enough without it.