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  • Union Oyster House

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Reserve at Union Oyster House

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Union Oyster House
Union Oyster House

Union Oyster House Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Dining
  • Website: http://www.unionoysterhouse.com
  • Email: info@unionoysterhouse.com
  • Phone: (617) 227-2750
  • Hours of Operation: Sunday - Thursday: 11:00am - 9:30pm, Friday & Saturday: 11:0am - 10:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Seafood
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Private Party Facilities: Private rooms are available for your convenience for cocktail parties, buffets and banquets. Each room has its distinct personality!
  • Private Party Contact: Dining Room Manager (617) 227-2750

Getting there

  • Public Transit: Two options: Take the Blue or Green Line to Government Center. Walk down the stairs along the side of City Hall and cross Congress Street. We are across the street. Note we are across from the New England Holocaust Memorial. Or, take the Orange or Green Line to Haymarket,left on Congress,left on Hanover,right on Union.
  • Parking: Street Parking
  • Parking Details: We Validate Parking for the Parcel #7 Garage. Note that it is not clearly labeled as such (sorry). If the Union Oyster House is on your right, the brick building STRAIGHT AHEAD OF YOU is the garage. Drive towards it, make a quick left (Hanover St.) right (Congress St.) and right again (Sudbury St.) … in other words, around the brick building to the other side is the entrance. The fee after validation is 3.$ for 3 hours
A word from Union Oyster House
The Union Oyster House, located on the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall, enjoys the unique distinction of being America's oldest restaurant. The Boston fixture, housed in a building dating back to pre-revolutionary days, started serving food in 1826 and has continued ever since with the stalls and… oyster bar, where Daniel Webster was a constant customer, in their original positions.Continued
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Diner Reviews
  • "I have spent a good time with my family to dine in at Union Oyster House. We have ordered Oyster House Clam Chowders, a 2 lbs. famous boiled New England Hardshell Lobster, and a Ye Olde Seafood Platter. My wife and I loved the Lobster so much since it was very juicy & delicious. But what our kids told us that the taste for the seafood platter was so-so. The Clam Chowder was also pretty good tasty. Finally, I would like to give a great compliment to the waitress who is so friendly and provide excellent service to us. Over all, we liked the food and definitely will go back to try out the lobster and oyster next time. "
    Dined on 4/15/2014
  • "Don't waste your money on this tourist trap! Very expensive, small portions and cold chowder, marginal quality food"
    Dined on 4/14/2014
  • "Recommended for the oysters (duh - check the name). However, they had limited varieties, the waitress could not recall the types of oysters, and they were ridiculously expensive. The food was bland (can you say salt) and so was the service. Somehow my foreign sounding name represented amusement for the wait staff as they tried to get it right and figure out where I was from. The tomato cream sauce tasted like Safeway's Tomato Basil Soup. Would not recommend this place to anyone wanting to try authentic New England food. The chowder was pretty good."
    Dined on 4/15/2014
  • "This is a very historic restaurant with great local atmosphere, but the prices are too high and the food was just average. We had the clam chowder, which had too many potatoes and was pretty average. We also had the broiled seafood platter that included salmon, cod, shrimp and boiled potatoes - bland no spices. Corn bread is filling , but pretty average - we are from the South and have had better. Overall, we have had better food at better prices. I would suggest going here for a drink and possibly the raw bar to enjoy the local atmosphere, but skip the high priced dinners."
    Dined on 4/14/2014
  • "I travel to Boston once or twice a year. I make a point of having diner at the Union Oyster House. It came highly recommended and I have never been disappointed. Great wait staff and the food is always great."
    Dined on 4/15/2014
  • "Landmark in the town. Sunday 4PM reservation to avoid crowds. Reservation got an upstairs table rather than a downstairs one. A bit hectic in bar as it was filled with patrons enjoying full meals & beverages. I could see this also as a great way to enjoy the place if only 2 people. Atmosphere upstairs was more relaxed. A little dim upstairs in the back as shutters were mostly closed to keep out afternoon sun. Waitress was very welcoming & helpful, appeared to be a local, all the way down to her Boston accent. Great seafood selection. Had a caesar salad ($7.5) and stuffed haddock w/ asparagus and salt potatoes ($30). Very good! Salads and entrees are ala carte. A little expensive, but hey it's Boston. Still would recommend the place."
    Dined on 4/13/2014
  • "The sweet little gift shop was so entertaining while we waited for the rest of our party to arrive. Glad to know the history behind the building, it added to the meal. Delicious food. We specially asked for the oyster stew as it was not on the menu...just like mama makes. The fried oysters were cooked perfectly!!! (We didn't have the crab except stuffed and furry) LOL"
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "Over priced. Had to wait half an hour for our table even when we had a reservation. The price of lobster has really come down and they charged $36.00! Not worth it."
    Dined on 4/13/2014
  • "We brought friends visiting from CA to the Union Oyster House for the historic dining - love the character of the building and inside with the paintings. Menu was pricey for what we got. Surprised to not have a salad or vegetable with meal. Waitress was a lot of fun and attentive. Enjoyed the evening."
    Dined on 4/8/2014
  • "We made reservations and were seated as soon as everyone in our party arrived. The waitress was very friendly and attentive. The food was very good. The historical aspect of the restaurant was what I came for, but the food was delicious too."
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "It has been quite some time since we had dined at Union Oyster House. This time we had our 8 year-old son. We all enjoyed our meals, even my son who decided to try clams for the first time! The clam chowder and the corn bread were especially awesome!"
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "We got the John F Kennedy table which was nice. Very special environment with history etc. Great (large) lobsters but a little bit dry and tasteless . Not very good service and the tips was added by the staff themselves ."
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "Restaurant is casual and pub like with a lot of memorabilia. I try and eat her whenever I am in Boston The food is good and really coveys a Boston ambiance"
    Dined on 4/6/2014
  • "I am from Canada and everytime we come to Boston we make sure to have dinner at the Union Oyster House. I love the character and history of the place and the food is always great! This time we came we were visiting Boston for holiday to celebrate my 30th birthday and we came the you guys for my birthday dinner! Thanks for making it great!"
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "We loved sitting at the Oyster Bar before our table was ready! Great oysters and service!"
    Dined on 4/8/2014
  • "I guess I'll give the benefit of the doubt that it was Saturday night, the Bruins were in town, etc. But I was not impressed. At all. The place was overflowing people (no problem), it was VERY loud (had to practically shout my conversation across the table - you know, like in a bar), but the overarching problem was the food. I had the fried seafood platter (it is NOT as big as the restaurant describes on their website) that was fair at best. (for $29.99 I expected better) And their "famous" Boston baked beans tasted like they came out of a can. Food that tastes like it came out of a grocery freezer that was WAY overpriced. Will not be going back nor would I recommend to anyone. Far too many other great restaurants in Boston."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "The atmosphere, coupled with the delicious food, made this dining experience one of the best experiences on my trip to Boston! In my opinion, it's a must "experience" for anyone visiting Boston. The server was attentive and enjoyable to talk with, she even helped me manage the proper technique for eating a lobster from its shell; thought I knew, but learned a lot from her (wish I remembered her name...I know she said she is from or lived in Florida). Simply put, I LOVED this place--the food, the service, and the historical aspect of the building and location."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "The Union Oyster House is a nice stop during a day spent walking the entire Freedom Trail. It's steeped in history and upstairs seating is quiet and comfortable. We tried lobster rolls at 4 different "award-winning" restaurants during our stay in Boston and the Union Oyster House's was the most expensive and least tasty. Too much mayonnaise/dressing, soggy bread, and small bits of lobster. Stick with the chowder."
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "Union Oyster House is the oldest continuing in operation restaurant in the U.S. The kind of atmosphere you would expect. Clam Chowder and Boston Schrod both delicious. But you eat here mostly for the experience. Not inexpensive, but not ridiculous, either."
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "The blue point oysters were incredible. Had the clam chowder and shrimp cocktai too and they were equally good but the oysters were a HUGE treat. Neat history... A must visit for Boston."
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "It is what it is - an interesting and fun tourist attraction. Enjoy the atmosphere but don't have high expectations when it comes to food. Stick to the oysters!"
    Dined on 4/3/2014
  • "The food was all amazing but so was the service. Our waitress was so great, the entire staff gave it a family feel. I recommend getting a reservation, we didn't think we would need to on a Wednesday night with only four of us but we 100% did, there was a 30-45 minute wait when we got there."
    Dined on 4/2/2014
  • "Good food and service, have been a few times in past few months with folks visiting from other countries and looking for traditional New England fare - seafood and New England clam chowder!"
    Dined on 4/1/2014
  • "The quality of the food was substandard. My fish smelled bad and my son's shrimp had no seasoning. The hook for this restaurant is that they are the oldest restaurant in America but that's all they have going for them. I'll never come back."
    Dined on 4/1/2014
  • "This is one of three oldest restaurants in Boston. Good good historical references in an old neighborhood."
    Dined on 3/24/2014
  • "The lobster was cooked to perfection, the wait staff was very accommodating, love the whole experience and character of the place"
    Dined on 3/26/2014
  • "I had eaten at the Union Oyster House 40 years ago, and when I had the chance to take my son there while we were traveling I was interested to see what had changed. If anything the food was better than on my previous visit. Its a place everyone should visit at least once, both for the food and the history."
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "One would think that a restaurant called "Oyster House" would have more than two types of oysters on the menu. The broiled lobster tail was filled with so much breading it seemed like there was more breading than lobster meat. The rest of the food was okay but nothing special. Service was good; we tipped our usual 20%. The ambience was quaint with historical artifacts. It was nice but you cannot eat atmosphere. When I spend $130 on dinner for two I expect much better quality food. This restaurant seemed more like a tourist attraction than a good place to eat."
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "Very bland food for a very high price, especially considering this is Boston and you can just about anywhere to get good and fairly priced seafood. Service was painfully slow (30 minutes for a drink order). UOH is more of a tourist/novelty type restaurant."
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "Had dinner with a group in union oyster house while in Boston for meeting. Went there because of name recognition. The steamer clam was over cooked. Lazyman lobster had only few pieces of claw meat. Haddock portion was big enough for a 5yo boy. Iservice was slow. I won't be back there for sure."
    Dined on 3/27/2014
  • "Excellent food all around. Nobody in our group had anything less than an excellent meal. The waitress was also very good and fit right in with our group, which made the experience all the better. We'll be back in Boston next year and will be back at the Ouster House too!"
    Dined on 3/25/2014
  • "delightful place with ok food and in our experience poor/slow service"
    Dined on 3/24/2014
  • "Union Oyster House was a great experience. Meals are a little on the expensive side but the taste is well worth it. One thing I highly suggest is the colonial beer . This is made by Sams Adams specifically for Union Oyster House. I went on our 5yr anniversary and my girl and I had a very nice dinner."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "This is the place its so good you are drawn to it... the food is amazing and they make sure you are having a happy experience!"
    Dined on 3/20/2014
  • "I thought the food was very good. I love seafood and enjoyed the cold seafood sampler and the broiled scallops. The cornbread was delicious. My server was great and I loved the history - that's what makes it! Really worth a go if you are in Boston."
    Dined on 3/23/2014
  • "The seafood was fresh and well-prepared. This is by no means a fine dining establishments, but it is a piece of Boston history. My wife and I enjoyed dinner there, and everything was fresh and well prepared."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "We chose the Union Oyster House on a recommendation for good seafood and atmosphere. The building is undeniably attractive but the overall experience felt more of a tourist trap with average food. There was nothing terrible about our evening at the restaurant, but nothing excellent either. I would recommend popping in for a drink/snacks and a sit at the oyster bar, rather than a full meal."
    Dined on 3/18/2014
  • "This restaurant has a very friendly and comfortable atmosphere. The food was good, although the portions were not very big for the price. But being in downtown Boston close to Fanieul hall and the North End it was comparable.The cornbread and Chwder was outstanding. Overall I would give it an A..."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "The saving grace was the food which everyone agreed was great. Service left a lot to be desired. 20 minutes from placing just our drink order to get the beverages - and we were one of the first of a Sunday lunch crowd through the door, so it wasn't that it was busy. She didn't offer up the daily specials, and rarely came by the table. When we heard the group sitting behind us getting immediate attention, PLUS the specials, etc., it didn't help our opinion of the service we were getting. We won't go out of our way to return."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "I had great time with freinds. It was sooo nice oyster and lobster."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
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