Biddy Early's. Boston, Massachusetts.
141 Pearl Street
Guinness Tag: $10.00 | Overall Rating: 9.10
Today's Dedicated Pint: James from Miami | Biddy's Dart Team
Boy, do I love a Pub like this one. Biddy Early's reminds me of so many Pubs from throughout the states in both good and great ways. It's the furthest thing from chintzy, and I hate that I can't come here every week. Let me be clear about one thing and get it out of the way: this place becomes a madhouse past 11 pm, and if you've read any of my stuff before then you're going to puke when I say this yet again .... I'm not going to say it. I've said it too many times.
The name, Biddy Early, comes from an Irish woman out of County Clare, who was known as a healer. As she got older, she was recognized as a woman of folklore and witchcraft. She was married four times and outlived all of her husbands, despite dying from poverty and malnutrition. Some people in today's society will use the term, "biddy," to describe an old annoying woman, such as Carrie Nation. Now that woman was perhaps the biggest biddy of all time!
The bar's blueprint is nestled in the Financial District of downtown Boston, so you get a good after-work crowd of business folks at 4 pm, and then the industry folks start shuffling in come 10 to 11. I'm a part of the industry, and I love industry bars. I was fortunate enough to experience a little bit of both crowds during my stay here, and I loved every minute of it. If you're from out of town and want to find a place where the locals hang out in the heart of downtown, then be sure to jot this Pub in your journal, because the chances of you hanging out with tourists in here seem to be slimmer than Nancy Pelosi losing money in the stock market. I love Biddy Early's.
Nobody apprised me of the fact there's a steel tip dartboard under this roof, so that was one hell of a startle! I had my darts with me, but to my unfortune, I did not throw. I did learn that Biddy's has a dart team, and they're one of the very few places in the
downtown area that supply a steel tip board. I throw for Hap's Irish Pub's dart team here in Cincinnati, but if Biddy's ever needs a sub, then I hope they know I'm just a 2-hour flight away! I believe every Pub should have a dartboard, whether you're a dive or a proper one. You can make a really fine-looking board/set up. Darts can totally fit in a proper setting if it's done the right way.
This place is very snug. There are a bunch of wall hangings, Christmas lights, wooden ceiling beams, dim lights, stickers, and an explosion of patina. You enter the building through an arch-like setting, and as you sit and sip, you feel like you're in a cozy cabin. They have Keno, a Juke Box (touchtunes), a Golden Tee machine (PGA Tour Style), and a functioning toilet accompanied by the perfect amount of toilet paper. This place is pretty old school and I mean that in the best way possible.
The Craic was on full blast throughout our visit. The entire place was full, but it didn't feel like we were stuffed like sardines and it wasn't a hot, sweaty mess, either.
Everyone was chatting and laughing, but it wasn't so loud to the point where we needed to scream. We had a fun conversation with a local named James, and a few fun words with a few others.
The bartender wasn't dicking around, but you can tell she's probably one hell of a lady. She poured us a quick Guinness in good fashion. The beer and whiskey choices in here will get the job done for anyone who belongs inside a place like this, and to be honest; if you aren't the type of person who would enjoy themselves inside this establishment, then I'm not so sure we can be friends. This is my type of crowd to a T, and as long as my arm can still throw a dart, I'll always gravitate towards a Pub like this one. Biddy's is the tits.
Pubs come in different shapes, colors, and varieties. There's a time and place for each. Sometimes it's appropriate to head to the proper Pub, and other times it's fitting to sneak in a few quick ones with a game of darts after work in a place with more of a "dive" atmosphere. Biddy's offers you a much better product than most Pubs out there, and I'm talking about the entire nation, not just Boston. It might not be for everyone, but it's certainly for those who are down to earth. Unless I'm dead, I'll be back.
Slainte.
Comments