Editor Pick
Late Night Entertainment
- March 30, 2009
- Rated 4 of 5 by
notso62 from Boston, Massachusetts
In Boston it is sometimes difficult to distinguish which bar you have entered once inside. Standard sports décor and dingy pub accoutrements decorate more than one watering hole in the downtown area. Jillian’s is an exception to the sub-standard decorating patterns of other establishments. It is hard to confuse this bar/sports mega-plex with any other in Boston.
Jillian’s has positioned itself successfully as some sort of adult playground. On the first floor there is a standard bar and dance club. On the second and third floors are pool tables, dart boards, and some video games. The fourth floor houses a bowling alley and lounge. Occasionally a floor or two is rented out for private parties, but otherwise patrons are free to entertain themselves on the floor of their choosing.
Bowling is probably the most popular activity at Jillian’s followed by pool. If you want to participate in these games, it is wise to try to reserve a lane or table ahead-of-time. Typical wait-times for a bowling lane on a busy Friday night are from one to three hours!
Jillian’s is conveniently located next to Fenway Park on the famously historic Landsdowne Street. On more than one occasion, my friends and I have gone to there during a game to take in the scene. Jillian’s has a large (bigger than 10 feet across) TV screen on the fourth floor that is perfect for watching games. You might even feel like you’re at the game (minus the obstructed views and high ticket prices) since Jillian’s gets the echo of crowd noise from Fenway.
Food at Jillian’s isn’t the greatest, but is edible. Their menu includes standard pub foods like fries and chicken wings. Waitresses tend to not wait on people even if they’re seated at tables, so it might be best to place your food order at the bar. Prices on drinks and food are reasonable (between $10-$15), but not inexpensive. Mixed drinks are prepared with heavy-handed servings of alcohol.
Jillian’s is a Boston establishment that has been around for at least the past fifteen years, but still somehow feels fresh on the inside. Judging by the crowds that still frequent it, Jillian’s looks to be in business and capable of producing a good time for visitors for the foreseeable future
From journal Another Boston Bar Crawl