M.J. O’Connor’s Irish Pub

Pretty good Shepard’s pie but the lettuce in the salad wasn’t that great. It tasted like it definitely wasn’t washed, almost chemical-​like. The clam chowder was fantastic and their calamari was some of the best I’ve ever had. Very dark inside, OK service. I had a Smith wick’s that was absolutely delicious though, tasted like they have very clean lines.

This one goes out to Jennifer, Paddy, and a special shout out to my boys Liam and Ray. You guys are all fantastic. My friend Cameron and I just took a 3 night trip to Boston for the first time and we could not leave this place. Every single night we ended up here was spectacular. The staff here is some of the friendliest and most down to Earth people we have ever met.
The drinks are fantastic, the food is even better. Highly recommend the Guinness Onion Soup and Fish and Chips. If you are looking for a place to hang out, enjoy your time, and just shoot the S*** then this is the place for you. No frills, no BS, just a great time. We left this place feeling like family and I will take it to the grave that this has become my favorite bar in all of America.
I’m going to miss you guys dearly, and I can’t wait for my next trip out here. Cheers everyone!

The food is a little hit and miss. So for anyone who doesn’t eat pork, M.J. O’Connor’s clam chowder is bacon-​free! And very delicious, I might add. Don’t order the curry though, it’s overly sweet and not what you normally expect. Otherwise the prices are fair and the service was decent.

Worst service ever. Seated at a table, never had a server stop. Seriously, skip this place and find somewhere better.

We came for an office lunch and it was a pretty good dining experience. It is a cozy and warm place with lots of high tops and a sizable bar. Being an Irish pub, it is aptly decorated. Our waitress was good. The food was delivered quickly and was good. Good offerings — apps, burgers, soup, specials and salads and sandwiches. All around good. I had the chicken sandwich that had roasted red peppers, goat cheese and basil pesto on focaccia. It was good. The goat cheese kind of dominated the other favors, but the sweet potatoes were great. Others had the steak and bleu salad and the short rib panini. Everyone seemed happy with their choices. Nothing really stood out to me that would make me crave going back, but the location is pretty convenient and it was a solid time.

Came here before a comedy show with a group of 7 and had 6:30 reservations. We trickled in a bit due to traffic but were greeted quickly and drink service was great at first. Once we all arrived the last 3 ordered their drinks and it took close to 10 minutes to receive. We also purposely ordered our food right away saying we had an 8pm show next door and for him to please bring it all out as it was ready. At least 40 minutes later not one of us had food (mostly salads and soups). We finally asked a manager to please cancel our order so we wouldn’t be late and as she was doing so all our food came — some incorrect. We scarfed down our food very quickly so I can’t speak much to the quality. I did give 3 stars because the manager happily comped our food as it was such an unpleasant experience. I’d definitely give it another try as this could have been a faulty night or rare occasion, but it was definitely not ideal.

We stopped here for a few beers before dinner. I’m here on business several times a month and this is my 3^rd visit. First two visits were enjoyable. On this visit, we were greeted by two lovely hostesses who suggested we head to the back bar. In short, the bartender needs a new job. She was smug, and even insulting. It’s a shame when one employee brings down the whole place, but that’s exactly what she did for us & why I’ll never be back.

Seriously fantastic. Good atmosphere, great music, kind waitresses, and beautiful interior. Anyone who can tell me where the location of the Central Hotel painting… Drinks on me.

Arrive was slow and not so friendly! Not, bad, just not what I have come to expect from Boston restaurant staff. Normally servers are very pleasant and full of menu knowledge to share with out of towners. This was not the case on our visit. However, the Food was fabulous! Their 3 time award winning chowder was excellent! Almost wanted a second bowl! I also had a spinach and pear salad, to die for! And my fiancé had the pulled pork sandwich. All worth a try! Delish!

Luke warm soup and service — I should have heeded the 3 star warning and gone somewhere else.

Reasonable Price for OK Food but Very BAD Service
We came to M.J. O’Connor’s this Saturday night to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The reservation was at 7:30 pm and it was a party for eight people. The receptionist welcomed us warmly, and it was a cute pub. The waitress was obviously over it, and she did not even try to hide it. It was understandable because she might have had a long day, so we were not bothered too much by her vibe. Most of us ordered ‘Dublin Burger’ and surprisingly she didn’t ask us how we wanted it cooked. Therefore, we all got it well done. it was the DRIEST burger i have ever had (if that is what the Irish style is going for. idk) but the sweet potato fries was very good. the quantity definitely offset the quality.
One of my friend asked for a Dublin Burger without lettuce and tomato because he is allergic to both. The other friend of mine asked for the same order without tomato. After twenty minutes, our burgers were brought to our table, and he got his burger with lettuce and tomato. So he asked the waitress if she forgot about it. She said,“all Dublin burgers come with lettuce and tomato” while handing a Dublin Burger WITHOUT tomato to another friend of mine. I don’t understand this logic. I don’t get it. She did not apologize or do anything about it, so my friend just moved the lettuce and tomato to the side, trying not to have any allergic reaction. At the end of the night, my friend did not tip much, so she brought the bill to our table, saying with a really condescending tone,“the tip is NOT included,” TWICE. My friend explained why he didn’t tip much and she said «What?» TWICE, and yelled at my friend, ranting a lot of things that I didn’t really hear, and left with a closing sentence «YOU ALL ARE FUCKED UP.»
ugh. I did tip, and I regretted doing 25%… smh. We came here to celebrate someone’s birthday, not to be insulted. if you are only looking to get full, this is the place for you.

Very friendly and quick service. Cozy/​warm environment. We had a bunch of food there since we were there for the football game. Started with clam chowder and Caesar salad-​both very good and fairly priced. Later had a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and boyfriend had the fish and chips. Also very good. Even on a busy football afternoon with the place packed they managed to have very timely service and the quality of the food did not suffer. Highly recommend this place if you’re in town.

I love this little bar. The staff here is always so friendly and nice. We like to come here after work. My only suggestion is once it’s later at night then just go to the bar because most of the time the servers are off or trying to get out of there.

I feel bad because I can’t remember what I ate for my entrée. The New England Clam Chowder blew me away. It was the creamiest soup I ever had on our entire trip. I can still taste it and it’s been over 2 months since we came home from Boston. I’ll have to go back and try something else because as they say, it won’t be the same.

Whiskey– check
Guiness — check
black and tan — check
bar food– check
Patriots game — check
This irisish pub is pretty cool bar located on the first floor of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and is just a few steps away from either entrance of the hotel.
I made 2 trips here on 2 separate nights and overall things were pretty good. They stock all the Irish favorites which includes Jameson. which is my personal favorite. I was happy to find that when i ordered a black and tan I didnt get a blank stare, they know what it is and they make it well.
For the food, well the food is ok not spectacular and it wont kill you. I ordered nachos the first night and they were ok, I guess being in so cal and having great Mexican food really spoils you when you order a Mexican type dish far away from home. On the second night I had a burger and fries, the fries were good but typical, the burger was supposed to be medium rare, but came out well. I was too hungry to argue and ate it. So once again it wasn’t great, but wasn’t bad. The food is just middle of the road.
So overall not bad, but probably best if you just get drinks.

Sesame Salmon daily special. Nice size piece but a little over cooked. Atmosphere was good. Ok beer selection.

Been here before just for drinks late at night, and i have never bothered to write a review before because it was just ok, mainly the service it was just ok but…
Stopped by on a Saturday midafternoon for some beer and clam chowder. BEST Guinness I have had so far, it was so foamy, and creamy, and smooth and even though it was dark it wasn’t bitter at all. The clam chowder was very good. It had a decent amount of clams and good vegetables and it was full in flavor. I also ordered a Cesar salad it was also good and large in size.
I wouldn’t mind sending someone here for some delicious chowder and a good local beer.
Insider Tip: Their clam chowder is a tree times Harborfest winner. Surprisingly is not very expensive.

Great location, great décor & reasonable prices. Chowder was fantastic! Great place for lunch or dinner. They have a couple TVs to watch the game which rocks! Bartender wasn’t so friendly and seemed confused. Average service. Although
He may be from Ireland which explains his broken English. Makes this place even more authentic I guess. Burger was good.
Nothing special.
Side salad sucked! Overall a good place

Stopped in for after-​dinner drinks. Kind of a random crowd, and random music. Tried to make some music suggestions, but no luck. Ordered a Manhattan and a mule; both were pretty awful. Guess we should have known better than to order such cocktails in an Irish Bar. Next round, ordered beer, which was a much better choice.

The impulsive decision to stop at MJ O’Connors was a good one! The Irish pub is comfortable and the staff was welcoming and quite helpful.
Get the clam chowder! Every restaurant in Boston makes clam chowder but none is better than this. It was gently seasoned and had a perfect, creamy consistency. There were lots of tender clams and it was thick enough to be satisfying but not so thick that was hard to eat.
Ironically, the well known Boston-​based seafood restaurant chain is just around the corner. While their chowder is good, it doesn’t hold a candle to MJ’s. Yes, the chowder here is that delicious!
I also had a cheeseburger that was good but the clam chowder was out of this world!

Solid spot to meet up with friends on a weekend and being able to hear them better than other spots. Ordered a beer and quesadilla, which were both very good. The quesadilla was pretty large, with chicken, cheese, and corn. Many TVs for sports if you want to watch, but I would put this up a run-​of-​the-​mill Irish-​styled pub.

Stopped in for a few drinks on our first night in Boston. The décor definitely had a pub feel and it almost felt like being in a Story Book. I had a few vodka and cranberries which were on point, could definitely taste the alcohol. My boyfriend had a few Captain & Cokes which were strong as well, definitely get your bang for your buck with drinks. Crowd was very lively, but seemed to be in their early 20’s or still in college. A super casual place where people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Was not a bad place to be on a Friday night, but I would not say this place is anything remarkable. For us, was simply a nice place to have a few drinks, nothing to write home about. Average pub, OK crowd, pretty good. I believe they started flashing the «go the _​_​_​home» lights around 1:15am?! Coming from living in NYC this was definitely strange to us! LOL.

MJ’s (yeah, we are on a first name basis) is definitely one of my go-​to places in Boston when I want a quick bite to eat and a cold beverage while I’m flying solo. Regardless, the service has always been quite pleasant. The servers and bartenders are really friendly and welcoming. When it comes to food, they do advertise as an Irish bar, and that’s true. However, there is your typical bar food. The boxty wedges though … divine!
Right before the SuperBowl, I won a party pack to MJs. A few friends and I would have a reserved table and appetizers throughout the night. Taking that out of the equation, we had a great time. The service was awesome and they kept the drinks coming to our table. Even though we stuck with appetizers, they were all large enough to share between a party of 4 and awesome. We had nachos, wings, Irish fries, more wings, boxty wedges, more wings, hummus, and sliders. Even though we were there to watch the game, our server left us alone when needed and allowed us to pace ourselves.
A few weeks later, I popped in while in the neighborhood and needed a drink. The bartender working was incredibly nice and could tell I was having a crappy day. Good and friendly service goes a long way and is never unnoticed!
Even though it’s technically a hotel bar, it’s definitely worth checking out!

I’m getting on the T to meet up with one of my best gurls, and her boyf has a work dinner over in the land of fancy. We don’t do fancy. So as the Green Line is chugging through the black ice at Riverside, she texts ‘I’ll be drinking at MJ O’Connors, meet me there.’
At Green Line speed, I get to Arlington and race down to Columbus to join her. Now, I immediately went for a tequila shot to take away the chill, so my review of the food could be a little biased. I thought the BBQ grilled chicken sandwich was pretty good. When the bacon is still greasy from the frying pan, and the chicken doesn’t slide out of the bread, pub nirvana has been reached.
The shots were surprisingly cheap for Back Bay, only $ 6 and change. That, if anything, is the reason to come back.

The staff at MJ’s are all awesome people who love where they work and kick ass at what they do! Its warm celtic aesthetic draws you in and then invites you to stay another round as you melt into the happy medium between a total dive and an upscale Irish pub.
#mjoconnors #irishbarsofboston #bostonbars

I am an absolute sucker for fish n chips and this pub has ruined every other pub for me — in a good way. They have the best that I have ever had. Two big, flaky pieces of fried cod which is more fish than batter and it wasn’t even greasy. Pair that with their chip counterpart, crunchy and salty, served on a whimsical sheet of newspaper graphic wax paper. What better than a pint of Sam Adams to go along with it, but they have many beer options like Guinness, Shed, etc. This was all so good that I came in twice during my week there.

My company holds our annual Holiday Party in Boston and a lot of us get rooms at the Park Plaza so we can take full advantage of the open bar at our party and then only have to stumble a block «home» at the end of the night. MJ O’Connor’s is conveniently located next to the Park Plaza so that’s where we usually go for the after party. This year was no different. There’s some good space in the bar, but with the amount of people we had in our group plus the patrons they had that were just out for the night… felt like a pack of sardines. So we didn’t stay — just long enough for one more drink before stumbling to bed.
Fast forward to the morning. Expected to have brunch at The Paramount in Beacon Hill. They were having some issues with their water pipes and were no longer serving customers. So we trudged back towards the Plaza to see what we could eat nearby. Oh look. MJ O’Connors was open! Very disappointing brunch menu (there were like 2 things) and the rest of the menu was just overpriced bar food, in my opinion. The «Hall of Fame» Clam Chowder — overrated. Maybe the judges were drunk they day they judged, but chowder should be thick and creamy. MJ’s was more like creamy and watery. Not really my cup of tea, although the flavor wasn’t bad. My boyfriend got cheddar fries (which I’ll admit were quite delicious, but not worth the price point) and a chicken quesadilla. It was good, but could’ve been better if the filling was spread out more instead of bunched in the middle. My BBQ pulled pork was good, but probably not the right thing to order at an IRISH restaurant. Props to them for pretty presentation with their Bloody Mary.
But in hindsight, should’ve remembered Parish Café was right down the street and about a million times better. There’s always next year.

2.5 stars. Typical generic Boston Irish pub, nothing special or notable here– seems to attract mainly suburbanites and tourists out for ‘a night on the town’, so if you’re looking for a non-​Faneuil vibe, this ain’t it. It’s big though so would be a decent choice for large groups, and there are plenty of nooks and crannies to hide out in amid the fake Celtic décor.

The décor (outside and inside) belie the tastiness of the food they have here. I ate here after dismissing several chain options because I wanted a little something different. I was a little unsure because of the curb appeal but after one taste of their clam chowder I was impressed. Their chowder is one of the better bowls I have had in a long time. I followed that up, at the server’s recommendation, with the stew and I was again, very pleased. Our server was friendly, prompt. And kudos to our server for taking a stand when I asked her to choose which entrée I should try. A staff that knows, and has eaten from the menu and isn’t afraid to make those sort of recommendations is always a plus in my book.
I would visit MJO’s again…

Surprisingly incredible buff tenders. Seriously. They’re those sweet potato shaped ones with a smooth, crisp exterior, bathed in tangy, family-​friendly hot sauce.
MJ O’Connor’s doesn’t necessarily stand out as a destination pub, and will likely ride comfortably thanks to location, televisions at the bar, the ability to accommodate large group of those gunning to get wrecked and location — again.
But those buff tenders. Wash ‘em down with a pint, or a whiskey and be done with it.