Boston Sail Loft

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80 Atlantic Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02110+1 617 227 7280

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North End Dive Bar

by notso62

Boston, Massachusetts

January 19, 2009

Best of IgoUgo Every neighborhood in Boston has it’s own bar where locals (and some brave tourists) can kick back and enjoy fairly-priced drinks and colorful conversation. The Sail Loft is such a watering hole for the North End neighborhood of Boston. The North ...Read more Every neighborhood in Boston has it’s own bar where locals (and some brave tourists) can kick back and enjoy fairly-priced drinks and colorful conversation. The Sail Loft is such a watering hole for the North End neighborhood of Boston.

The North End is historically known for its many significant stops along the "Freedom Trail" and as Boston’s "Little Italy". However neither of these factors is represented at the Sail Loft; which is probably why it has escaped being turned into a tourist trap contrary to the fact that it is very favorably located on the waterfront of this neighborhood.

The local crowd that frequents the Sail Loft is mostly male in their early-30s. You won’t hear many people speaking with Italian accents in this bar, which is a characteristic of the crowd or workers at almost every other bar and restaurant in this part of town. I don’t know why this is, but the pretty much the only accent you’ll hear at the Sail Loft is a Bostonian one. The majority of the crowd grew up here or in nearby Boston suburbs.

The Sail Loft is a bare-bones dive bar. Beer and drinks are served in plastic cups and paid for with cash (they don’t take credit cards, but do have an ATM in the corner). The dark wooden interior makes patrons feel like they are in the underbelly of a ship instead of a waterfront bar. Stools and tables are plentiful, but if you sit down you should expect to be harassed by the locals. I found it was best to stand when at this bar so that when approached by a local who has had one-too-many who wants to know who the new face is in his bar, I could make a swift getaway.

My husband used to live in the North End and avoided the Sail Loft most evenings because of the likelihood that there would be some sort of fight there (the locals get rowdy by the end of the evenings). The cheap drinks and lack of dress code were usually not enough of a temptation to get him to stop by.

The Sail Loft is great for cheap drinks and very casual pub food. The clam chowder is said to be very good, though I have not tried it myself since I am vegetarian. The wait staff is very colorful and might (or might not) give you good service (it typically depends on whether they think they recognize you). If a non-pretentious scene is what you’re after and you think you won’t mind some attitude with your food and drink I would give the Sail Loft a try.
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North End Dive Bar