M.J. O’Connor’s

I was dying for a classic BLT but this had a weird sauce on it that ruined it for me. The calamari was pretty delicious. A little bit pricey but that’s to be expected for a hotel restaurant

If you enjoy drunk or stoned waitstaff, poor quality food and waiting forever for food or God forbid a drink refill this is the place. The manager did make it right thankfully.

The clam chowder deserves its title! Came for a show at laugh Boston and stopped here first. Awesome decision. Got the clam chowder as a meal. It didn’t disappoint: a healthy serving of fresh clams (not too rubbery more buttery that melted in your mouth), potatoes, and the perfect consistency for a chowder with creamy base. My boyfriend got the tomato soup and grilled cheese. The presentation of the tomato soup but it needs a little more flavor. The drinks were really good; I got something that had fireball, pomegranate juice and grenadine? Whatever it was it was a nice hint of spice from the cinnamon whiskey and tart from the pomegranate. Would definitely come back again before a show or if we’re in the area.

Disclaimer: I am a life-​long vegetarian and don’t drink.
That said, there are plenty of things I appreciate about M.J. O’Connor’s Irish Pub.
Here are a few:
–roasted tomato soup: warm, flavorful, and goes perfect with…
-…grilled cheese (grown up style, with mozzarella, tomato, and basil on a Ciabatta roll)
–crispy, salty (which is a good thing) fries
–mushroom flatbread pizza (generous portion size, with LOADS of goat cheese (also a good thing)
–attached to the Westin, which is attached to the Convention Center, which means we did not have to be outside in the rain/​sleet/​snow/​cold during a recent conference in Boston
Not a destination eatery, for sure, but perfect for a quick lunch during a conference, especially during a Boston winter.

Came here from Seattle liked the ruben, needed late night chow had to stop the in thanks guys.

Lunch for 3.
— Ambiance (³⁄₅)
A bit lacking– kind of stale, old booths.
— Service (³⁄₅)
Reasonably fast though a bit forgetful.
— Chowder, $ 8 (³⁄₅)
Award winner? I couldn’t tell at least. Nothing bad about it, but I found the ingredients to be a bit lacking, and not enough clam in it to truly feel like a hearty clam chowder.
— Steak & Bleu, $ 18 (³⁄₅)
Steak was seared perfectly, though practically unseasoned. The salad itself was pretty good, though a bit under-​dressed, and unfortunately, the fried shallots kind of overwhelmed the plate. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a successful salad… more a decent steak and a side salad.
— Value (³⁄₅)
The steak and bleu is pretty good value since you’re getting some steak, but then the $ 8 chowder kind of just sets the whole equation back.
— Final Word
Just an average location that’s great for a drink and has some reasonable bar fare, but nothing too inspiring.

Excellent place to eat before going into the comedy show right next door! Steak tips were great and the drinks were strong. Only negative was very crowded seating with people hovering over your food (pub style tables surround bar).

Watched the Patriots playoff game there today and we only had to wait 15 minutes for a table. The hostess who greeted us was friendly. They played the sound for the game which I really appreciated. I ordered the reuben and it was delicious. However, the pomegranate margarita I had was weak and not worth $ 12. In addition, we had to flag down our server to get anything, she never once checked in with us. Overall it was not a bad place to watch the game but I’ve had better.

MJ O’Connors is an Irish restaurant that is located in the financial district in Boston. The restaurant offers outdoor as well as indoor seating and they have a fireplace that you will see lit in the wintertime.
The easiest way to find MJ O’Connors is to find the Westin hotel there are two entrances to get inside of the restaurant. You can either enter through the hotel or they have an entrance outside. Both entrances have hostesses that will see you. You can have The hotel valet your vehicle.
Jamie Liberge is the head chef at MJ O’Connors. I have a feeling that he’s only there during dinner hours. I have actually in here twice for lunch and once for dinner the food was pretty good. The type of food is traditional Irish but they also have good cheeseburgers and they have good steaks not the best steak I’ve ever had but OK steaks. They have a late night menu that is from 11 PM to 12 AM. There is also a special menu upon request for gluten-​free diets.
The lunch menu is fairly priced but the dinner menu is overpriced in my opinion for what you get. I don’t know if this is because the restaurant is tied to the hotel and they feel that they will get corporate people that are staying at the hotel to overpay.
The other thing I found interesting about MJ O’Connors is that they do not have a happy hour. This shocks me especially with the amount of people that come to this hotel for business that they do not have a happy hour.
The last time I was here I ended up getting a mozzarella and roasted red pepper Panini with a cup of clam chowder. The clam chowder was good and the sandwich was good. If I remember correctly the two items came to $ 14.
Overall MJ O’Connors is a solid option if you are in the financial district Boston. I feel that their dinner menu is a little bit overpriced. This is just my personal opinion.
I have never had a bad experience here I will be back here in the future for lunch.
PROS:
–indoor and outdoor seating
— they have valet
CONS:
— dinner is pricy

It took a long time (~20mins+) to get our order placed. This I think was largely due to the fact that we met friends there who closed their tab and waitress said another NEW waiter will be back to take new orders (I guess her shift was done). But that communication from her to the new waiter must have been lost.
We were so hungry when he finally came it was like a miracle.
He was very pleasant and checked in a few times.
First we did look at the bar menu which was underwhelming so we looked at reg menu.
I ordered the clam chowder soup and my friend had chicken tenders. We were going to an event after so we just wanted something to eat.
The soup was a good serving and was really really delicious in my humble opinion. It hit the spot and i am happy i didn’t over order (as one tend to do when they are starving) because I was quite satisfied after the soup.
The chicken tenders were enjoyed as well.

We went here last right before the Bernie Sanders speech. The food is pretty good. The fries with curry were nice and the pizza was OK.
Like everyone says the service is absolutely terrible. We came in the outside door, which has a little hostess station, that no one was at all-​night long. As we sat there people were coming in and waiting and waiting and waiting and we prompted them to go to the other hostess station.
We waited about 10 minutes to get a beer. Finally got our food and I ordered another beer which never came.
Anyway, Bernie Sanders was awesome!!! Vote Bernie!!!

I ate here a few times when I stayed at the Westin and was too late to go out and explore the city. First meal was the reuben which was pretty decent. But second time I tried the Lobster roll. Total disapointment. Had minimal flavor and was super bland. Kind of pricey to for more of a pub meal.
Either way, good news is that you can call it in and run down and get it if you’re in the hotel. Bad news is, don’t expect much from it :)

I was staying at the Westin with my cousin and while she was in a conference, I wanted to get some take out food to eat back at the hotel and just relax since I was by myself.
Since M.J. O’Connors was connected to the Westin itself, it was the most convenient since I didn’t really feel like stepping outside (the weather was hot and humid). For take out, you order at the bar, pay, and wait. After paying, I didn’t have to wait too long — 15 minutes while they cooked and prepared the take out. I do have to say that you really have to flag down the bar host because sometimes they know you are there but they totally ignore you (which some other reviews are not lying about). I sat a good 5 minutes waiting while she was there talking to her other bar host friend just chatting away.
I decided on the FRIED CHICKEN ENTREE (W/​CORN ON THE COB AND BAKED BEANS). Let me just say that I was definitely not expecting the amount of food that came out in the take-​out. It was a humongous bag (they packed everything separately — corn, baked beans, utensils, dipping sauce). The FRIED CHICKEN was fried perfectly where the skin was kept crunchy (even after being packaged). There were like four enormous pieces of fried chicken (drumstick, extended wing, thigh, and breast), but I was only able to eat the drumstick and the extended wing (as well as the crunchy skin of the thigh and breast because it was just so darn crunchy and juicy!). The CORN ON THE COB was a full head of corn, not half, that was grilled so had a slight grill flavor to it. I was able to eat all of that as well (the butter sauce was packaged separately and still cold — I wished it was heated up at least so I would be able to spread it on my corn). Finally, I was only able to finish half the baked beans which were sweet and had a small kick to it because of the spices.
I really wish I had someone to share the entrée with because that was a whole lot of food I was not able to finish, but at least, was able to enjoy greatly while relaxing in my hotel room and watching some television. I would definitely come visit there again if I were ever to stay at the Westin Boston Waterfront.

Being attached to a nice new hotel means you’ll always get customers regardless of the quality of what you serve or how its served.
I sat at the bar and was waited on by a large bartender who couldn’t be more miserable if he tried.
He was somewhat efficient, however, but wasn’t happy with the lunch time crowd assembled there for a trade show as they were not ordering alcohol, therefore the checks and tips probably weren’t very high, but your the face of the establishment, at least look like you want to be there. Also, your representing the rest of Boston, some travelers may not have to the time to venture to other bars, so the experience they have here is what they will take back to their respective homes, so don’t let the great bartenders of Boston down!
As for the food, not bad, the chicken tenders were battered and fried, although were not too crisp for some reason, but came with a delicious whiskey spiked honey mustard dressing.
The chicken curry dinner was i some need of help, Irish chicken curry when done right is delicious, usually containing peppers, onions and mushrooms, there were none in my dish, and the sauce itself was disappointing.
Salads on the other hand were outstanding, very nicely prepared.
Place is clean and the majority of the staff seemed friendly, nice décor and prices about what you’d expect in the city.

Meh– Stopped in since I was at the BCEC for a conference, this was my second time here. First time was fine, SLOW service. Chicken curry was decent, husband had the fish and chips and said it was decent, nothing special. We sat at the bar our second time, slow service again. Burger was fine, but please do everyone a favor and get rid of the lobster tacos. Worst thing I have ever eaten! I tasted a tortilla and lettuce with onion strings. the lobster was DRY, FLAVORLESS and CHEWY. seriously even the lemon didn’t help. You are in New England serving horrible lobster.
If you have to go to a restaurant in the hotel it’s OK, just stick with basics, otherwise there are better restaurants to walk to and more popping up.

This is an Irish Pub housed at the Westin hotel adjacent to the Convention Center. The proximity to the conference led us to eat here for lunch. It looks like an Irish Pub and feels like an Irish Pub, with the surprise of Asian-​fusion and New-​American items on the menu such as Pork Belly sliders and Pan-​seared salmon.
We ordered. Seared Tuna Sesame salad, Scallops on Curry-​flavored couscous. All of which provided good, well-​balanced flavor. The tuna was not grade A judging from the density of connective tissue between the grains. Service can slow down significantly with large crowds.
Summary: A quick satisfying business lunch, but do try to beat the crowds.

I honestly believe the only reason this place stays in business (and doesn’t change its ways) is because it’s in the Westin and really has no other competition for hotel guests. There’s a couple of other places to eat/​drink in the Westin, but this one provides the most comprehensive restaurant/​bar-​type atmosphere.
It’s a very dimly lit restaurant and I believe it shares its kitchen with the bar on the other side, facing the lobby, City Bar. The hotel entrance is a bit far, as you have to walk past the lobby and go to the other end of the building, where a comedy show theater is. There’s a host section when you walk in, an L-​shaped bar on the left when you walk past it, followed by a decent-​sized dining area on the right.
I’ve eaten here multiple times because I typically stay at the Westin when I travel to Boston for work, and there’s not many restaurants in this area of South Boston (even though the convention center is right next door). Every time I come, I sit at the bar. They have three TVs at the bar that are playing sports and the bartenders will change it to whatever game you’re interested in watching. Their taps are pretty standard — a few Sam, Harpoon, Goose Island, a few specialties, and your normal beers (Bud, Coors, etc.). The food is very mediocre, at best. Their tater tots are great, but then again, it’s rare to mess those up. Their grilled cheese and soup combo is pretty good from what I remember. I had their veggie burger this evening and I will never get that again. It is the dryest, tasteless, thing I’ve ever eaten. It’s homemade and they really need to change their recipe.
My biggest gripe with this place is that the service is extremely slow and nobody looks happy. They don’t greet you with a smile or ask how you’re doing — the patron always has to flag down the bartender and tell them what they want, instead of them coming to approach you. They also never offer or give you water unless you ask, and they never seem to want to make conversations with their guests. Many times the bartenders are talking with each other and/​or the kitchen staff and just not paying attention to their customers sitting at the bar. I hate to write about poor service, but this is just one of the worst I’ve experienced, especially since I expect it to be a lot better since it’s part of the Westin.

I was in town for a week and ate here three times. The first time I had the Reuben sandwich (although I always have my Reubens on sourdough because I don’t like Rye!). The bread, meat and cheese were delicious, although they were quite skimpy with the sauerkraut. Service was prompt and friendly.
The second time, I sat at the bar for their bar menu, and had their delicous ahi. It was great with a substantial pepper crust. I thought it was interesting that they had bar specials on food, but not on drinks — no happy hour here! The bar service was not as prompt as the table service, but it wasn’t terrible.
The third time I had the Guinness Onion Soup which was totally boring — not only no Guinness flavor, but the soup was pretty bland in general with a sad croûton on top. I also had the steak and cheese sandwich, which was actually really flavorful on a nice soft bun.
The 4^th star is because hotels are famous for sticking it to their guests (I call it a convenience tax), and I felt that the prices here are totally reasonable, the staff are attentive and prompt, and the menu is diverse, which is nice when you’re living in a hotel for extended periods of time!

Excellent food. The service is friendly but very slo when it is crowded. One and a half hours for my dinner! was it worth it? Totally.
Bad: slow service during rush hour
Good: piping hot fresh food, always want to order everything!

M.J.‘s is The Westin’s hotel restaurant. After a long drive from Philly (a drive that took an extra long time thanks to holiday weekend traffic), we didn’t feel like traveling far for dinner, hence hotel food for dinner.
Overall, this place isn’t bad. It has the Irish pub theme going on and it’s laid back. They have outdoor seating as well, but since it was unseasonably cool, we sat inside near the window. I had a saison and the City Bar Burger (jack cheese, bacon, chipotle mayo, onion strings, lettuce, tomato, pickle). I asked them to hold the onions and tomato, and also asked them to sub the sweet potato fries for regular fries.
The burger was good and cooked right, but my biggest beef was the price. $ 16, really? Come on. It’s a burger. I should have ordered something else, sure, but there wasn’t really anything else popping out at me. They have a fairly limited menu.
Price-​tag aside, M.J.‘s served its purpose: it was quick, easy and filling after a long drive.