OT: Visiting Boston? We are here to help.

Bodit9

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Oct 22, 2016
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Going to the Flyers game on Sunday. Looking for a few recommendations for a pre-game meal & beers near the Garden before the game. Thanks!
 

bossfan

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Apr 5, 2008
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Going to the Flyers game on Sunday. Looking for a few recommendations for a pre-game meal & beers near the Garden before the game. Thanks!

To get a table you will need to get into one of these places by around 5:00 for a 7:00 game. Maybe a little earlier if you can swing it as it is a football Sunday so places might be more crowded than usual with people watching games.

Porters Bar and Grill
Boston Beer Works
A&B Burger- they take reservations
The Fours - almost impossible to get into in my experience.
Hurricane O'Reilly's
Banners - just recently opened always looks packed so hard to know if you can get in

Best bet is to make a reservation at A&B Burger for around 5:00-5:15pm (get the alcoholic Mexican Milk Shake YUM). That way you are assured of getting a table and having time to eat. Porters is a close second with a few more food options usually can get a table if there by 5:00pm for a 7:00 game.
 
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Montecristo

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Jul 29, 2012
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Going to the Flyers game on Sunday. Looking for a few recommendations for a pre-game meal & beers near the Garden before the game. Thanks!

I’d skip the eating by the garden headache and go eat somewhere in the north end like la famiglia Giorgio’s or somewhere like the sail loft and then walk the 15-20 minutes to the garden
 
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nycpunk1

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Jan 9, 2012
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I'm not a big fan of the options by the Garden. Most aren't terribly great to begin with, then you add the challenge of pushing out an entire seating at the same time.

I haven't been commuting from North Station for a few months, but last season I would stop by Tasty Burger if I missed my train. I was surprised by how easy it was to get a seat at the bar just before a game. Burger, beer, tots, and tip run you about $15 and it's literally right outside the West Entrance.

If you're driving in, Tavern at the End of the World is about a block from the Sullivan Square T, which is the closest stop from the north worth finding a spot at. Coming from the South you should just park in either the Haymarket Garage or one of the garages on Purchase St off exit 23. Easy in/out, and you can stop in Ginger Man for fancy beers and burgers or Biddy Early's for cheap pints and surprisingly good food.
 

Ratty

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I'm not a big fan of the options by the Garden. Most aren't terribly great to begin with, then you add the challenge of pushing out an entire seating at the same time.

I haven't been commuting from North Station for a few months, but last season I would stop by Tasty Burger if I missed my train. I was surprised by how easy it was to get a seat at the bar just before a game. Burger, beer, tots, and tip run you about $15 and it's literally right outside the West Entrance.

If you're driving in, Tavern at the End of the World is about a block from the Sullivan Square T, which is the closest stop from the north worth finding a spot at. Coming from the South you should just park in either the Haymarket Garage or one of the garages on Purchase St off exit 23. Easy in/out, and you can stop in Ginger Man for fancy beers and burgers or Biddy Early's for cheap pints and surprisingly good food.
Or you could park for free at the 99 lot in Charlestown. Have a good meal at reasonable prices and take the complimentary shuttle to Toronto Dominion Garden (about a ten minute ride).
 

bigfrank21

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I haven't been able to get back to Boston for a few years now, but am lucky enough to be able to go to tonight's game.

I used to park at the lot across from Lechmere and walk, but it looks like that lot may be in the process of becoming condos now?
Took a look at the Gov't Center Garage, but I'll be driving my truck... the website says 6'2" height restriction... Anyone know if they commonly see Chevy/GMC 1500s in there?

Any other alternatives (I'm coming in from the pike)?

I'll be getting in around 3PM, so not worried about the rush (no need to take the T if I don't have to).

Thanks!
 

TD74

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Apr 12, 2011
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Coming over the holidays for a game with the family,,,, would anyone know what time the Bruins arrive to the arena and enter in which part of the arena?? Thanks!!
 

jgatie

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Coming over the holidays for a game with the family,,,, would anyone know what time the Bruins arrive to the arena and enter in which part of the arena?? Thanks!!

It's a private parking lot, not open to the public. Not really possible to see them. Better off going down to the Loge area by the bench during warmups if you want to see players up close.
 

talkinaway

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Mar 19, 2014
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And for the record, that Loge area is sections 20/21. If you come in via the "new grand entrance", either enter to the right and walk counterclockwise once you get on the concourse level, or enter to the left and walk clockwise. Either way, enter via the gate that says "21 / 20" - as long as you're respectful of people who actually have tickets there, you can go down there for warmups. The Bruins spill out onto the ice through section 21, and kids can hi-five them there if you're early. (Typically, warmups happen 30 minutes before faux puck drop, so 6:30 for a 7 PM game. A little later for HNIC Saturdays.) Sections 17-18 will give you the "NHL 20" view of warmups, while section 13 is close if you want to see Pasta and Krug twirl each other.

You can get pucks from the players on purpose if you've got kids, or by accident if you're an adult. Pasta was the designated puck tosser last year, but this year I've noticed more players doing it - and Pasta doing it a little less frequently. Marchy does it - and he WILL give you the stink eye and point to the kid if you steal a puck from a young'un!

But, unfortunately, AFAIK, there's not really a legal way to stake out a player before or the game, and no "fan line" like one of the other teams does where fans greet the players...I think it's Edmondon? They used to have a thing via the same site that does last minute ticket sales where they sold the opportunity for kids to hi-five the players after one of the intermissions for $1 - obviously, those probably sold pretty fast.
 
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talkinaway

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This is kind of a reverse question, since I'm in the Boston area and this is just on the outside of the Boston area, but...what's the setup at Xfinity Center (former Great Woods for us oldies) like? I've never been, since usually the folks that play there are JUST on the cusp of "oh, I'd like to see them", and then I take into account the lengthy drive to get there and the supposedly Gillette-esque parking backup getting out of Xfinity that I've read about, and I lose interest in going.

I'm just curious - if I were to go, how bad is the drop-off between the inner (1-3), middle (4-8), and outer (10-14) rings? And how bad is it from center to the edges?
 

bigfrank21

Chara spoons it!
Jul 13, 2007
516
9
CT
I haven't been able to get back to Boston for a few years now, but am lucky enough to be able to go to tonight's game.

I used to park at the lot across from Lechmere and walk, but it looks like that lot may be in the process of becoming condos now?
Took a look at the Gov't Center Garage, but I'll be driving my truck... the website says 6'2" height restriction... Anyone know if they commonly see Chevy/GMC 1500s in there?

Any other alternatives (I'm coming in from the pike)?

I'll be getting in around 3PM, so not worried about the rush (no need to take the T if I don't have to).

Thanks!

Figured I'd post the answers to my own questions here in case they can help anyone else in the future:

  • Called the Gov't Center Garage and they said they'd seen an occasional half-ton truck in there, but that they'd advise against it unless you definitely know you're under the max height allowance.
  • I wound up parking at Sullivan Square and taking the Orange Line in to North Station. At ~3:30 on a Thursday the lot had plenty of spaces free. That train in didn't have many folks on-board, but the train out after the game was jam packed.
 

AgentCooper

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May 10, 2009
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Boston
Hey folks, sorry to bother. I'm new to the area and I was wondering if anyone could tell me the best place to buy goalie equipment in Boston. Some kid shattered my neck protector the other day... Thanks!
 

Bocephus86

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Mar 2, 2011
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Boston
Wasn't sure where to put this and figured this was closest even though I'm not visiting: Going to my first game this year on the 15th; are the seats really as crap as reported? We're up in the 300s somewhere, my buddy coordinated this back in October and grabbed the tickets so I'm not 100% sure where, but likely somewhat decent as he knows the game/arena.

I assume they are still banning vape/tobacco products too? Got mine Blu taken headed to game 2 of the finals last year and that sucked to loose (was for after the game). In the process of quitting but I stepped down from cigs to the vape for now; if they are still taking them than I'll just go back to the real cancer sticks & buy them after the game (we're spending the rest of the day/night in & around the city on a bar crawl).
 

talkinaway

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Mar 19, 2014
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Wasn't sure where to put this and figured this was closest even though I'm not visiting: Going to my first game this year on the 15th; are the seats really as crap as reported? We're up in the 300s somewhere, my buddy coordinated this back in October and grabbed the tickets so I'm not 100% sure where, but likely somewhat decent as he knows the game/arena.

I assume they are still banning vape/tobacco products too? Got mine Blu taken headed to game 2 of the finals last year and that sucked to loose (was for after the game). In the process of quitting but I stepped down from cigs to the vape for now; if they are still taking them than I'll just go back to the real cancer sticks & buy them after the game (we're spending the rest of the day/night in & around the city on a bar crawl).

Yup, they're as crap as reported - although I'm the one reporting, so take it with a grain of salt. The new area (Rafters?) behind 301 looks nice, but I'm sure it costs a pretty penny. That's the only area that's undergone any sort of upgrade. Everything else is, at best, a lateral move, and at worst, squished legs and/or sides. Balcony seats are more on the tight side, particularly if you're broad shouldered (or broad bellied), while loge seats tend to have your knee butting the chair and/or head of the person in front of you if you're tall.

And, yes, no vaping in the Garden - although that should go without saying. (But apparently it does need to be said - saw two incidents of vaping inside the Garden last season. Not in the stairwell - in the arena!) They won't even let you take the vaping products in - it's prohibited, so theoretically "leave it in your car" should cover it for most people, and it's also a fire hazard, particularly in a crowded arena. I can't say that the "security" kabuki at the Garden gates will catch every vape and/or vape product you bring in - it obviously failed at least twice last year, and probably a lot more. But I'd leave it.
 
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Bocephus86

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Yup, they're as crap as reported - although I'm the one reporting, so take it with a grain of salt. The new area (Rafters?) behind 301 looks nice, but I'm sure it costs a pretty penny. That's the only area that's undergone any sort of upgrade. Everything else is, at best, a lateral move, and at worst, squished legs and/or sides. Balcony seats are more on the tight side, particularly if you're broad shouldered (or broad bellied), while loge seats tend to have your knee butting the chair and/or head of the person in front of you if you're tall.

And, yes, no vaping in the Garden - although that should go without saying. (But apparently it does need to be said - saw two incidents of vaping inside the Garden last season. Not in the stairwell - in the arena!) They won't even let you take the vaping products in - it's prohibited, so theoretically "leave it in your car" should cover it for most people, and it's also a fire hazard, particularly in a crowded arena. I can't say that the "security" kabuki at the Garden gates will catch every vape and/or vape product you bring in - it obviously failed at least twice last year, and probably a lot more. But I'd leave it.
Thanks on both items; looks like I'll let myself back slide into cigs for the game (will toss the rest of the pack before I head home that night). I wasn't planning to vape in the game or anything but we're bar crawling after and I know I'll want some sort of nicotine fix at that point; I can't get my product in the city any longer.

Also I'm not a big guy, one of the few perks of being a short dude is cramped seating isn't that bad, but I figured I'd check anyway.
 

Ratty

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Thanks on both items; looks like I'll let myself back slide into cigs for the game (will toss the rest of the pack before I head home that night). I wasn't planning to vape in the game or anything but we're bar crawling after and I know I'll want some sort of nicotine fix at that point; I can't get my product in the city any longer.

Also I'm not a big guy, one of the few perks of being a short dude is cramped seating isn't that bad, but I figured I'd check anyway.
You’ll have a hard time smoking while bar hopping in Boston. It is banned for safety reasons.
 

Aussie Bruin

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Hello friends. My wife and I are coming to the fine city of Boston in a couple of months for 4 days over Easter. Fingers-crossed we will be able to go to a first-round playoff game.

We've been before and we've done or visited most of the main touristy things. What I'd like to ask are what are some of the lesser-known places that you think are interesting or worth seeing? Could be museums, buildings, art, tours, places to eat and drink, things that are a bit quirky or of historical interest, we're happy to take tips or recommendations for anything. Thanks!
 

Ratty

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Hello friends. My wife and I are coming to the fine city of Boston in a couple of months for 4 days over Easter. Fingers-crossed we will be able to go to a first-round playoff game.

We've been before and we've done or visited most of the main touristy things. What I'd like to ask are what are some of the lesser-known places that you think are interesting or worth seeing? Could be museums, buildings, art, tours, places to eat and drink, things that are a bit quirky or of historical interest, we're happy to take tips or recommendations for anything. Thanks!
For a beautiful building in Boston you could not do better than Trinity Church in Copley Square. Magnificent stained glass windows and a great organ. And being there on Easter is even more inspirational.

The Museum of Fine Arts has brought a temporary exhibition of Monet to add to its outstanding existing collection of French Impressionist works.

Not sure if the Boston Pops season would begin at that time, but, if, so, it is a worthwhile undertaking. If not, the BSO may still be in session. Same location, Symphony Hall.
 

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