16 best restaurants near Fenway Park

Boston has plenty of spots around town to feast on seafood, but we’ll always head to Eventide when we’re craving fruits of the sea in the Fenway area. It's simple, really: The famed brown butter lobster roll. Savor the bao-like bun, which perfectly cradles sweet Maine lobster meat mixed with delicious brown butter is one of the best bites in town. The rest of the menu—featuring crudo, tartare, clam chowder and of course, a daily selection of oysters—is equally impressive. The relatively recent renovation of the Boylston Street space, meanwhile, with new booths, benches and a full bar, is cool and comfortable.

Since 2011, award-winning chef Tiffani Faison’s first restaurant in Boston has been serving legit barbecue to Red Sox fans, concert-goers and people who just love buckets of biscuites and big plates of meat. The heritage breed pulled pork, hot links and pulled chicken are all standouts, as are sides like "church basement" potato salad and mac 'n' cheese casserole. Don’t skip the buttermilk fried chicken tenders with buttermilk ranch for dipping; you’ll be thinking about the crunch all week.

New to the Fenway-Kenmore area in 2023, this is a no-reservations spot to get great sushi. At Matsunori, the focus is on temaki-style sushi, which means you’ll be getting your fish and rice in a handheld cone made of nori—try the mango shrimp. They also have lots of rolls, like spicy tuna with crispy fried sweet potato; and wagyu rolls filled with beef from the owner’s farm. Matsunori is small and fills up fast, but wait times aren’t usually too bad.

This wine bar is a more intimate and upscale spot than many of the sports bars and crowd-pleasing stops around Fenway, but it’s fun, accessible and not stuffy at all. Whether you’re a vinophile or just like a nice glass, there’s something for you at Nathálie, and the staff is happy to guide you to the perfect pour. The food is pretty great too, you can order a pick-your-own cheese and charcuterie board, and the lamb meatballs and fried chicken skewers are exactly what you want to wash down with wine.

From the team behind the lauded o ya, is one of the most fun restaurants in town, a  self-described “rock and roll sushi tavern.” Attached to the Verb hotel, Hojoko’s maki rolls share menu space with ramen, robata (grilled skewers) and Japanese curry chicken katsu rice. The drinks are extremely unserious, with a whole section on the menu dedicated to punch bowls that serve three to six people, tiki inspired drinks, and, naturally, their take on the espresso martini—this version is made with brown butter.

New to Boston in 2022, Blue Ribbon Sushi has been a mainstay in NYC since 1995—but don’t hold the restaurant's origin story against it, Bostonians. The big, wood-covered room in Kenmore Square with a miles long sushi bar is a comfortable spot to enjoy $145-per-person omakase, or try a la carte sushi and sashimi selections from a menu split by Atlantic and Pacific, including nigiri like amberjack and Japanese red snapper.

After closing in 2020, changing locations and riding out pandemic shutdowns, Eastern Standard is back. The menu hasn’t changed much, and we’re okay with that. Split a bavette steak, get the baked rigatoni with lamb sausage and a roasted half chicken that’s almost the same as you remember. And don't overlook the cocktail menu, helmed by legendary drinksmith Jackson Cannon who's on board for the restaurant's rejuvenation. The room is bigger, and a little brighter, but Eastern Standard remains just that: a standard.

For a quick, tasty Mexican meal, this is your spot before a game, concert or when you just need a burrito. Small and cheerful inside, the patio offers communal picnic benches to take in the fanfare before the game even starts. With an assortment of tacos, burritos, tostadas and quesadillas, you may just want to order from every category and share with your game day crew for the ultimate experience.

Serving Kenmore Square since 1973, this British pub stands out in a sea of Irish pubs around the city. Make like Will and Kate (in their uni days, of course) and dive into pub classics like bangers and mash and Welsh cottage pie, or keep it this side of the pond with the solid burger menu. But you’re really here for the beer, and Cornwall’s has a excellent rotating draft list from breweries like Fiddlehead and Jack’s Abby. 

Fenway has a mix of international dining destinations, both high end and casual. On the casual end is Saloniki, which adds traditional, casual Greek fare to the scene. Stop by and sit on the patio with a salad topped with zucchini fritters, or share a plate of lamb meatballs. Or, simply grab a pita to-go. Authentic sides like moussaka, spanakopita and “Yia-Yia’s soup” round out lunch or dinner, along with bevvies like a Greek frappé (whipped iced coffee) as well as beer, wine and cocktails.

A familiar alternative to the busy bars and taverns right on top of Fenway Park, this neighborhood favorite slightly off the beaten path on Beacon Street offers an extensive beer list and creative cocktails featuring house-made syrups and unlikely flavor combinations. There’s also an inventive food menu and a full taco menu every Tuesday that also includes chips and salsa and a variety of quesadillas. During the warmer months, there’s a heated, bamboo-enclosed patio out back that makes for a romantic, yet casual night. 

Beyond just a bar, Bleacher Bar is an experience, and a must-visit for any Boston sports fan. It’s literally under the bleachers of Fenway Park’s centerfield, and thus it presents drinkers and diners with an oversized window overlooking the field. Serving up riffs on stadium favorites like Fenway franks and Boston clam chowder, you get all the charm of stadium seating without having to purchase a Sox ticket. Snag a reservation online if you can, or take your chances on game day. Note this venue is 21-plus for all Red Sox home games and after 10pm nightly.

This French-Vietnamese café serves a delightful mix of coffee, banh mi, rice and noodle bowls, along with sweet crepes and pastries. In a small, subway-tile covered space, Phinista offers a breakfast bahn mi with fried eggs daily until 5pm, along with the classic cold cut style, barbecue chicken and a nicely spiced tofu version. Noodle and rice bowls are topped with the same proteins, and the sweet crepes with nutella and berries are a nice finisher or sweet snack.

Boston’s best fast food micro-chain, Tasty Burger was born in the Fenway neighborhood and remains an easy stop for a quick bite, though it moved to a new location on Van Ness Street in 2023. If you’re a local, you know what you’re in for: Well-crafted burgers, including turkey and veggie, for a reasonable price. It's hard to argue with the Big Tasty—cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and Tasty sauce—but the burger topped with sautéed mushrooms, steak sauce and truffle oil is a highbrow take. Try a refreshing, house-made lime rickey to drink, and a minty Green Monster milkshake for dessert.