Union Oyster House, Boston

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they claim to be the oldest restaurant in America and the decor and ambiance inside definitely proves it plus is has been into numerous reviews in the boob tube courtesy of such heavyweights like the Discovery Travel Channel and The Food Network.Hence is definitely on my list of where to eat the famed new england seafoods here in boston! Dating back to 1826, the Union Oyster House maintains a suitably old-fashioned tavern decor, with lots of weathered wood and a casual atmosphere. As the owners would say "located on the Freedom Trail near Faneuil Hall, enjoys the unique distinction of being America's oldest restaurant. This Boston fixture is housed in a building dating back to pre-revolutionary days and started serving food in 1826. The stalls and oyster bar where Daniel Webster was a regular customer are in their original positions. Today's politicians, celebrities and tourists still come in to enjoy the food".

Favorite Dish: they have a numerous kinds of selections mainly seafood what else! like the oyter bar at $ 7 for half a dozen and $ 14 for 1 dozen. the clam or seafood chowders that starts at $ 6 a cup and $ 7.50 a pint and for a glutton like me, the deep fried seafood platter consisting of deep fried oysters, scallops, scrod, shrimps, mussels, calamari and clams at $ 22 a plate and my fave small steamed lobster (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound category) at $ 28. 2 pounds or more of larger sized lobsters costs $ 35. and to wolf it down via sam adams fall draft at $ 6 and a fruit platter for $ 8! what gluttony am i commiting! hehehhehe.

Hours:
Sun-Thu 11am-9:30pm
Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

The Menu:

APPETIZERS

Shrimp Cocktail 13.50
Fried Calamari 11.50 APPETIZERS
Shrimp Cocktail 13.50
Fried Calamari 11.50
Union Grilled Oysters 14.50
MUSSELS
Basque Style
Steamed with Garlic and White Wine, Garlic Bread
12.50 STEAMERS
Natural Broth
STEWS & CHOWDERS ON THE HALF SHELL
Oyster House Clam Chowder
A Boston Classic 5.95 7.50
Fish Chowder 5.95 7.50
Soup of the Day 4.95 5.95
Onion Soup Gratinee 6.95
Seafood Stew 13.95
Crock of Oyster Stew 13.50
*Native Oysters (1/2 doz.) 13.95
*Cape Cod Cherrystones (1/2 doz.) 11.50
*Cape Cod Littlenecks (1/2 doz.) 11.50
*Cold Seafood Sampler
Freshly Shucked Oysters and
Cherrystones, Cocktail Shrimp 13.95
YE OLDE SEAFOOD PLATTER
Fried Fish, Clams, Oysters, Scallops,
Shrimp and Calamari
Served with French Fries & Cole Slaw 21.95
OYSTER HOUSE SEAFOOD NEWBURG
Shrimp & Scallops
in a Creamy Sherry Sauce Served
on a Baked Pastry Shell with Rice Pilaf
20.50

SANDWICHES

Crabcake 14.50
* Hamburger 9.95
Fried Oyster Roll 13.95
Seafood Salad Wrap 15.95
Lobster Salad Roll 22.95
Fried Clam Roll Market Price
Grilled Chicken 12.50
Union Chicken Club 12.95
Served with French Fries
All Sandwiches Accompanied with Cole Slaw, Lettuce, Tomato and Dill Pickle

The oldest restaurant in Boston and "the oldest restaurant in continuous service in the U.S"!! No joke! The building definitely reflects it's age and though it looks small when you first walk in, they have more than enough seating! So many great finishings and details that highlight the history and age of the building.

There's nothing like going in and enjoying any of the Sam Adams seasonal beers at the raw bar and ordering a plate of freshly shucked oysters!

Favorite Dish: By far the best thing in the entire restaurant is their clam chowder (chowdah - as it's affectionately referred to by the locals) :)!! I can't resist ordering a cup or bowl any time we drop by for a meal, and we usually try to make that during any of our visits back to Boston!

We actually love it so much that we've found the recipe and make it at home once in a while! If you're a seafood lover I would definitely recommend it - I mean, if nothing else at least you can say you enjoyed a meal in Boston's oldest restaurant :)

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"Daddy, they kill those lobsters! They boil them! Nooo...," a teenage girl, old enough to know better, wails by the lobster tank. "I know, honey," her father wraps a comforting arm around her shoulders. My companion and I burst out into riotous laughter and mock her attention-seeking melodrama and the father's gullibility to it. The pair scurry away in embarrassment. It is a seafood restaurant, after all...
In fact, this is the oldest continually-run restaurant in the whole United States! It's been selling chow since 1826. Looking at the dishes served on the tables around me--fish, oysters, lobster, crab cakes, chowder, corn bread, my stomach growls loudly. I've never tried oysters before and since they're the speciality here, they're are a must.
Our waitress is quick and chirpy; she brings drinks right away.
The building that now houses the Union Oyster House has a long history. The actual year of its construction is unknown. Earliest records have it listed in 1742 as "At the Sign of the Cornfields"--an importer of dry goods and cloth from Europe. It also served as a printing press for American Revolution literature, a pay-station for troops, and a temporary home for the future King of France (Louis Philippe) in 1796. It finally became a restaurant called "Atwood & Bacon" when the pair bought it and installed the semi-circular oyster bar. President John F. Kennedy and his clan ate here often and there's a booth dedicated to him upstairs. Whew--boggling!
I have no idea what oysters are supposed to taste like, so as I scoop the slimy mollusk down my throat, I decide it's "good but a bit bland", and I add more horseradish to the next one. Oysters must be an acquired taste. Next, is the clam chowder. I'd spent the morning at "Chowderfest", sampling chowders from restaurants all over Boston, but this is the best I've ever had.
After a small delay, while the waitress searched the restaurant to find me some tartar sauce, I dig into my fish and chips. It's absolutely delicious!

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There's a lot of history associated with this very old restaurant in the heart of Boston. The revolutionaries met here and countless presidents have dined at this place. This was JFK's hang-out where he had their famous oysters at the bar.

The food here is generally okay. I'd give them a lot of credit for their rich and tasty clam chowder soup, which I almost always have whenever I dine here. The little neck clams cooked Basque-style is superb. They also have lobster rolls and other seafood treats. Service is courteous, efficient, and pleasant.

Overall, this restaurant is over-rated and touristy, but I'd still highly recommend it to any visitors in the area. Enjoy!

Favorite Dish: Mix of seafood.

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THIS IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED RESTAURANT/TAVERN IN THE USA. It is located right along the Freedom Trail.

I don't have any idea if it is true or not, but I am told that this is where John F. Kennedy proposed marriage to Jackie.

Favorite Dish: I have never eaten here.

The oldest restaurant in the country is wonderful to see and experience -- its has all these little rooms, narrow staircases, very charming.

However, the food was mediocre at best.

The chowder was the worst chowder we had in Boston - a place called Kennedy's Midtown (just near the main shopping area Macys, DSW, Filene's, etc) had chowder that blew the Oyster House out of the water.

My crab cakes were two gigantic fried disappointments. The batter or something about how they fried them made them taste like they were frozen.

The only good thing was the oysters

Favorite Dish: The oysters were very good here, fresh, good size, etc, etc

I would suggest stopping in for a dozen just to check the place out, but I would not go back there for an entire meal

The oldest restaurant in the USA. You have to go. This was a favorite hangout of writers, politicians and historians.

Favorite Dish: New England Clam Chowda------It doesn't get any better than that
Lazy man's Lobster. Oh my gosh.
This transplanted New England Native was saliivating over all the wonderful authentic dishes.

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This place has the history and ambiance of America's Oldest Restaurant. This place is a National Historic Landmark. The walls of this restaurant has over 250 years of American history hanging inside. This building has been standing since before the Revolutionary War. It was around 1742 when the bldg contained a Silk and dry goods business.

Even the bathrooms are small.

They also have private function rooms, too, that can handle up to 250 people! It's all at the website!

Favorite Dish: The Clam Chowder was fantastic. my lunch tasted great, the steamed clams happened to have had too much sand, and the waitress credited our check for them. The seafood was great. I can't wait to go back.

This place has a gift shop on the first floor. I ate on the 2nd floor as it was incredibly busy. We didn't wait long, and it was worth the trip.

The prices were about average. They had free postcards of this place. The placemats alone had great historical information, so being the tourist I am, I asked for one, and they were more than happy to oblige.