Avery Bar

Big fan. Great spot for a nice drink before/​after dinner. It won’t be crowded. The room is beautiful and you’ll have to pay a bit more than usual. It’s a bar at the Ritz g-​dammit.

On a Saturday night if you had an early dinner and you need to kill a couple hours before going out with friends but you just want to go somewhere quiet to grab a drink or two and have conversation without having to yell because it’s too loud, go to Avery. Really nice fireplace and awesome (never ending!) nut bowl to accompany drinks as well.

3.5 stars — classy and upscale but pretty much just a lobby bar. $$$ drinks and tasty bar menu for a nice albeit pricey retreat from the chaos of Downtown Crossing. Our event party enjoyed good service while there on a weeknight. Likely won’t return given price, lacking ambiance.

Death by chocolate. I totally under estimated the holiday hot chocolate bar. You make your own hot choc with any fillings from cream, marshmallow, choc, cookie bits etc. You also get to choose the option of sweets & pastries. On the 1^st glance I thought that’s so little but the sweet addict inside me couldn’t finish it! I couldn’t even finish my 2^nd mug.
I guess $ 36 is kind of pricey for an afternoon tea. It was yummy but fairly average.

As for as hotel bars go, this is a nice option. It’s a great little hideaway from the hustle and bustle of mainstream Boston and all its frantic frenzy. The roaring fireplace first lured me off the street but the nice wide leather seats kept me feeling comfy and cozy. Martinis are priced around $ 15 which to me is the norm these days. Free complimentary nuts too. Perfect place to be if you’re looking around for a place to have some conversation.

On the pricey side but it’s nice and low-​key (read: not very loud) and they make a perfect Vesper. I’m not generally a fan of hotel bars but this place is elegant and has comfortable seating. It also has never been full/​packed (been there twice) and has a nice fireplace that makes for a cozy experience (great for those cold winter nights). It’s a great place to have a drink before waiting for one of the shows in the area (musical, opera, movies) or if you’re staying at the hotel but I don’t think I would make a night of it or anything.
Also, if you don’t get complimentary nuts/​pretzels, ask for them — they are delicious, especially the pretzels.

I ordered the Sweet martini, and it was barely palatable. The beer nuts are amazing; they include these delicious honey mustard pretzels. The ambience is nice with a cozy fireplace and interesting light fixtures, but nothing to write home about. I was thoroughly disappointed.

It was a good place! The bar was well lit which is always nice so that you can see who you are talking too. It wasn’t too loud — I could actually here the friends I was with. The lounge sections were great with great service. It didn’t have any crazy, college, drunk kids around but ADULTS who were just out for drinks and a good time. It was beautiful, modern but still had a cozy feel. We will definitely be back.

What I love about the Avery Bar is its lounge. Every morning after breakfast, I come to this lounge to study and run errands. It’s very quite and peaceful; and my work never gets disturbed. You even don’t have to worry about guests creating noise from checking in and out. And the cool thing is that after 5pm the lounge turns into a bar which I reward myself with a nice glass of wine. Cheers to Ritz Hotel for putting together a beautiful lounge where I can study and work!

Stopped in after a movie on Saturday night for drinks. The place has a big fireplace, nice couches, and is pretty relaxed. Waitresses were very attentive. And attractive :)
Got free spiced pretzels and nuts, which is always awesome.
Drinks were the price you would expect for the area and were good. Not a huge selection, but solid.
This is a good chill place to relax and chat with a nice atmosphere.

This is a great bar nestled in the Ritz Carlton hotel. It’s warm, inviting, quiet, and classy — and the bartenders are friendly and attentive. My friend and I came here after a terrible experience at Artisan Bistro next door, and we were floored at the difference between the two places.
We were warmly greeted by the bartender before we even sat down at the bar. We were feeling to order some wine, and the bartender was knowledgeable and walked us through their selection. Their cocktails are on the pricier side, but their wine and beer is pretty consistent in pricing with other bars.
Will definitely come here again!

most beautiful bar in boston. sterling the bartender is incredibly personable. fireplace is ridiculous. mid century modern/​sexy as hell. marble. wood. fire. iron light fixures.
even the pretzel/​nut mix was the best bar snack i’ve had.
so happy to have found this place! new favorite hands down.

Pretty spot, with a nice fireplace. We enjoyed a pre-​dinner cocktail. Cocktail was average, but pricey. Staff was helpful and the other patrons at the bar friendly. If you are staying in the hotel, it’s a relaxing spot to grab a quick drink while enjoying the fire. Wouldn’t say it is anywhere destination-​worthy.

It’s a shame this place isn’t bigger, but I guess that’s what the alternative bistro next door is for.
The drinks are expensive but they are very well made because the bartender is truly experienced and is very into the final product.
The food menu is a complete joke though. As for the clientele, it’s sad the Ritz attracts some real gems.
I would given this place 5 stars if the food menu was better/​server later, bigger bar, clientele was a bit better.
I’m astounded how often drunks roll into this place.

Came here last night with my lady friends for a Gilt City deal for their Tuesday Tea Party. I really liked the space; classy, not stuffy, and super comfortable.
Service was very good. Our waitress at first didn’t know about the tea party stuff, but immediately got our drinks out to us and put in our food order. A friend met us about 40 minutes after we had been there, so her food order went in late, and there was a bit of a mixup as to where it actually was at one point, so the waitress apologized profusely and brought us over a free cheese plate to make up for the error while our friend’s food was being located. Like I said — classy!
The drinks are pricey, but MAN, are they well made. I had a Cucumber Collins that was literally the most refreshing drink I’ve had all summer — and I assure you, I’ve sampled a lot of drinks this summer. :)

The excellent: Service, wifi, wine, espresso until close, menu
The space could be better — either more airy or more dark. The recent renovation cut off the bar from the dining area with a big wall, making the bar feel cramped.
For a completely different bar scene, try the Ritz lobby bar just through the connecting doorway — fireplace, couches, bar tables, large U-​shaped bar.
Both offer a calm place to work/​study for a few hours.

As an addition to the Ritz– Carleton main lobby, Avery Bar definitely is well modeled. It boasts an attractive set-​up with an intimate space, modern décor and even a raised fireplace on the far wall, which is a welcoming invitation to guests. I think there is adequate seating for an often less-​than-​packed venue, and it’s nice to have the option between raised bar seating and the more lounge-​style couches and chairs.
I had visited Avery Bar on a Tuesday night, so I guess there is not much that can be said about the very few guests that were present. I actually sat at the bar so as to get quicker service and have a view of the bar scene and the lounge in the back. The bartender was actually quite knowledgeable and very sociable as well. She definitely made the visit more enjoyable. My friend and I did a mix of cocktails and Pâté (which has since been taken off the menu, thank God). The pâté was very watery and lacked any real flavor. Again, I am happy this has been removed from the menu. The cocktails were actually quite good, both of us chose from the «Avery Ten» listing. We went with the Fire and the Martinez, both were quite good. Well made and well proportioned in terms of ingredients.
Again, the bar was not packed on a Tuesday night, so not much can be said for visitors to this venue. I do think the décor is well presented and up to the typical standards for a Ritz as well. I think the menu has been spruced up a great deal since my last visit as well. This is also a good recommended stop off for a martini before heading into Artisan for dinner.

The Avery Bar is gorgeous: modern, sleek, luxurious. But don’t be fooled: interiors and ambience are no replacement for a delicious, artfully-​crafted cocktail, kids.
I was all excited to have a drink at this beautiful, spiffy bar. The bartenders were all so sharp, and I assumed the exquisite taste of the design would extend to the cocktails, but sadly, they were mediocre. In fact, mine wasn’t good.
I had the Cumber Collins, which is (I believe) intended to be a schmancy, artisinal version of the Tom Collins as it features Hendrick’s. sea salt and lime-​infused ice cubes. Really, it just tasted like a G&T, which I do not like. At all. I would have asked for another drink if our server had come back to check on us, but he never did. In fact, we sat there for a full fifteen minutes AFTER our glasses were drained trying to grab the attention of just about anyone, but no one ever looked out way — not even the bartenders who were less than 5′ from us. I’m serious.
When we finally were able to grab someone, she was extremely curt and put-​out by us asking for our bill. It took another five minutes for her to return with it.
I bet you’re not surprised to hear me say skip this one, kids –especially with all the drinks options in this neck of the woods.

not really a hotel bar, as such. more like a low-​key hangout. that i like a lot.

Perfect