Irish pub fans on the south shore of Boston don’t need to go all the way into town to find great Irish pubs; instead they can go to Quincy, Massachusetts and find three very good ones. As with most Irish pubs, the ones in Quincy shine on St. Patrick’s Day, above all other days.
But throughout the year, these Irish pubs in Quincy offer a great time at affordable prices.
Bad Abbot’s Pub
1546 Rear Hancock Street
Quincy, Massachusetts
Bad Abbot’s should write a handbook on how to create an authentic Irish pub. There is nothing kitschy or artificial about Bad Abbot’s. It is not in Ireland, of course, but on this side of the Atlantic, neighboring one of the most Irish cities in the country in Boston, it’s the next best thing. The crowd is very mixed, where a blue collar crowd mixes easily with some of the office workers from nearby businesses.
While plenty stop here to watch soccer (they update their website with the upcoming television schedule), and the Red Sox and other local teams can be seen on the television, this is definitely not a sports bar. It’s an Irish pub in every sense of the word; relaxed, friendly, affordable and fun.
Music plays a large role in the Bad Abbot’s experience, as mainly on the weekends they offer live Irish music by local bands and even some open mic nights. Not surprisingly, the menu here is heavy on Irish favorite such as Irish sausage, shepherd’s pie and great Irish themed breakfasts.
Paddy Barry’s Ales & Spirits
1574 Hancock Street
Quincy, Massachusetts
Paddy Barry’s calls itself “the best little pub in the world”, and those of us who have been there find it hard to argue. This is a cool little place. They don’t serve food, though nearby restaurants do and they welcome food from the outside.
The biggest thing they are known for is the quality and quantity of great local bands. They have a wide spectrum of music, with almost everything included, and it might be the best place of its size in the entire Boston area to catch great up and coming bands.
They offer a about half a dozen beers on draught, including local favorite Sam Adams and pour a very good Guinness. Paddy Barry’s attracts a fairly young, but generally mellow crowd and is not a ‘frat boy’ type of place for the most part.
The Irish Pub
51 Billings Road
Quincy, Massachusetts
The Irish Pub prides itself for its hidden, almost out of the way, profile. As with the other Irish pubs in Quincy, this place is pretty authentic. The authenticity comes mainly from the fact that are no “beers from St. Louis”, as they put it, but rather only legitimate Irish beers, and very good Irish food, with the highlights being the Shepherd’s Pie and sirloin tips.
The crowd here is pretty hip, particularly by Quincy Irish pub standards, though not obnoxiously so. It’s just a fun, neighborhood place where, excuse me, everybody knows your name.
So if you live in Quincy or are visiting the area, and are in the mood for a great Irish pub, these are excellent choices.
