Located across the street from the Hynes Convention Center, the Pour House has managed to stand out in one of the busiest dining areas in town. They’ve separated themselves from the crowd with extreme values on drinks and one of the best brunches in the city — not to mention some other features that set it apart from nearly all of Boston’s sports bars.
The House’s best trait is its versatility. On weekends, it can be anywhere from a quiet brunch spot in the mornings to a fully-functional sports bar with 17 massive TVs in the afternoon to a bonafide dance club at night with its sprawling downstairs “second bar.” Upstairs, the “first bar” is one of the busiest in the entire city with standing rows sometimes four patrons deep from the counter.
What brings the thirsty to the Pour House in droves more than anything else are the insane drink values. In addition to offering 10 oz “Beertinis” for $3.25, the House offers massive 22 oz drafts for $5.50, which, in addition to a great selection of bottles and microbrews, has created a cult following amounts the broke college crowd.
The food can be hit-and-miss. The chili cheese fries are soggy, but the BBQ Chicken Sandwich is delicious, and it comes with an over-the-top portion of extra crispy fries. Another highlight of the menu is the “dippers,” or mini-sandwiches. The buffalo chicken and pastrami varieties were the best but they were all consistently good. The food values rival the drinks. On Wednesdays, half-priced chicken sandwiches are offered and on Sundays from 4 – 10 p.m., all dippers are just $1.00. Burger Mania, offered on Saturday nights after six, takes the values to another level with half-price on every quarter pound creation, including the epic triple-decker Texas Burger, with bacon, cheddar, and a phenomenal BBQ sauce.
While the Pour House welcomes fans of all sports, it’s at the height of its power on NFL sundays, where the “second bar” downstairs is transformed to the ultimate downtown man cave. “Bubba’s Basement Blitz,” as the party has become known, boasts a TV with every game, the $1.00 dippers, and giveaways at halftime of the 4:25 games. It’s a great (and pretty affordable) way to spend a Sunday.
The Pour House is the perfect destination for the patrons its name describes, but don’t think that it’s lame just because it’s affordable. This place is over-the-top in the greatest of ways, from the loud music to the massive crowds to the ridiculous values. The pour house is as fun as it is cheap, and that’s saying something.