The Boston University Pub

Great place for downtime with friends and a nice environment. The sandwiches are decently priced and I would love to try some of the other ones on the menu! I tried the Botanist and that was a pretty good one for a first timer!

That was literally THE WORST dining experience i have ever had in my lifetime. It look AN HOUR to get one sandwich that was supposed to be a Caprese salad on Naan, and when i got it, it was cold shredded mozzeralla cheese. COLD SHREDDED MOZZERLLA. Even if she had managed to actually cook the cheese, the description of the sandwich was VERY misleading. $ 10 i will never get back. i will never ever ever go back again. They should be ashamed of themselves. Disgusting…

It is so nice place to hang out with friends. We like to play darts and drink beers here hanging out and having a good time

Finally able to come back! I have been craving their sandwiches for years now. My friends and i regret not being knighted during our student days. We in the BU community are so lucky to have a place like this we can call our own.
As I remembered, the sandwiches are still fresh, affordable ($ 7.50) and delicious. I always feel full for a while after eating here. This time I brought my sister as a guest; she is a non-​BU grad. I got the Phd, which has chicken salad and sprouts. I also got a bag of bbq chips that went great with my beer. I recommend you get your sandwich grilled — great in summer and even better to have in the colder months.
The pub can also do takeout and is awesome for those over 21 living on Bay State road. Seems that the summer time the pub is way less crowded and it is very easy to chill and talk with friends. The staff were all very nice and really friendly! I forgot how lots of things worked (like you put in your order on a paper, then pay for it at the bar, and then take it back to the sandwich counter) but they were kind and politely explained everything patiently.

Stumbled onto this place when I was on campus several years ago for a two month course. LOVED IT!

Fairly small and stuffy pub where there are hoards of students in their crowds trying to have a fun time. I can’t imagine meeting any new people here since everyone sticks to their own cliques and don’t mingle much. There’s also a line to get drinks, although it’s a very orderly line and isn’t on a walk-​up-​anywhere-​and-​hope-​the-​bartender-​sees-​you basis.
There was a long list of beers and I wanted to try a local one, draft, so I picked one at random. It was good but since I don’t remember what it’s called, I don’t think I’ll ever get to try it again. They also have free pub mix and I enjoyed it with my beer-​had a bit of a kick to it though so some people might consider it spicy.
Very cozy overall and if you go to BU, you should come check it out!

Fun pub for BU students. Comes with lots of lounge chairs, high tables, and even a darts section. It’s a good time to get drunk with friends in a casual setting and an opportunity to meet new people.
The drinks are definitely overpriced. Paid $ 10 for a Tequila Sunrise with hardly any tequila in it. Not worth the money; the beer I got before got me drunker than that.
We went here on a Thursday, so I’m not sure how it is on other nights. From the atmosphere, I imagine it gets pretty poppin on the weekends. This is a bar you get drunk before hand to save money and just simply attend after.

Sandwiches have yet to disappoint, beer list is broad but pretty good. Would love to see more craft beers, but they do have several I like (hoponius Union, Bengali sixpoint, and a bbc selection, to name a few). Service is very hot and miss. Jason is friendly and efficient but there’s another bartender who is slow and not at all knowledgable.

Cozy atmosphere, hearty pub food, great beer selection. The patio facing the Charles & esplanade during warm weather is an asset to this little BU castle enclave. I graduated from SED in ’01 and I still come back 4 – 5 times a year to get my pub fix, especially before Sox games.

Great for BU students! I love the cozy and relaxed atmosphere. Great place to meetup with friends and unwind after a long day of classes. They have trivia on Tuesday nights and every other week it’s themed trivia! So much fun.

This place is amazing! It holds a special place in my heart during my time in BU.
First off, you need to be part of BU (student, faculty, staff, etc.) to get in, or go with someone who is. The place is a little bit more intimate, in that the place is a little bit small, and you really go there to chill, unwind and catch up with your friends.
There’s a bunch of sandwiches that they serve as well as some small eats that you can nibble on. If you’re only getting one thing, get the pretzel with herb and cream cheese dip (see tip lol). It’s simple, but it’s crazy good. The only odd thing if you want to order food, you need to fill out a paper on one station, pay at the bar, then go back to the first station to give the order. Not the most efficient method, but not it’s not that much of an inconvenience.
The drinks selection is well-​rounded. Their mixed drinks are actually delicious and potent, and their beer selection is on point. There’s a list of 50 different beers (tap, bottles and cans), and it rotates every so often, so you always get a variety. It’s part of their Knight’s Quest (where you drink #1−50 in no particular order over some time, and you go through a knighting ceremony), which I highly recommend anyone in BU attempt. It’s a good way to expand your beer horizon from natty ice and bud light since it’ll expose you to good beers. I, myself, am knighted, and it’s great haha… I get to drink from this medieval-​esque steel mug whenever I come in. However, I think the clincher of all this is that whenever I do make my way back to this place, the bartender still remembers me! It’s been a couple of years since I first went back after graduating, and I didn’t expect he’d recognize me, since I’m sure he goes through a few knighting ceremonies, but it was pretty cool that he did (and still does).
Just be wary of rush hour times, but other than that, it’s definitely a staple as part of your college experience in BU :).

I’ve come here a few times for lunch but I’ve never really been satisfied, so I think today was my last visit.
Pros:
— On campus, very convenient
— Cheap for the area ($ 7 sandwiches, pretty standard)
— Ambiance (it’s in the basement of the castle)
— Outdoor patio is cute
Cons:
— The lines are always super long
— Not enough bar tenders, it seems like every time I’ve gone, they’ve had to call someone specially from some mysterious place in the back to serve us – at 12:30pm, which is prime lunch hour!
— The ordering process is confusing — go up to the deli counter, note your selection on a sheet of paper, walk over to the bar, realize there is no bar tender, but supposedly you need to pay here first, pay, go back to the deli counter to drop the paper off… ugh!
— Food takes a long time to come out, considering it’s just a sandwich
— Small tables, not good for large groups unless you get lucky and get one of the two larger tables
— They check your BU Id and your regular Id, which takes a while.
So maybe my biggest gripe is just the time it takes to get lunch here? To get a single sandwich, I end up standing in THREE LINES: the ID check place, the bar so that I can pay, and then the deli counter…
Yes, you can have a beer with your lunch here. But you can have beers at other places in the area too.
Bottom line: This place makes for a frustrating lunch spot, so I will be dining elsewhere from now on.

You need to be a faculty member/​staff, a student, an alumni, or with someone who is one of the previous three in order to get in here. So there’s already a sense of privilege just being able to walk through the doors here, which I kind of love. I came here frequently while I was getting my MA after any particularly hard class. It’s in the bottom of a castle, so that’s also pretty awesome.
They have a number of sandwiches that are named after different majors and professions, or you can make your own sandwich. They’ve got a ton of options and I’ve always found their food to be delicious.
They also have more beers than you can shake a stick at. Because apparently I’m 50 years old now and say things like that. But really, they have a ton of beer. They also have a knight quest that you can embark on, in which you have to drink 50 beers on a list and then you get knighted and get your own glass to use whenever you want which I think is cheaper than buying beers. Don’t quote me on that last bit there though.
Fairly frequently they have different breweries come in to sample beer, and sometimes they give away swag, I’ve gotten a few glasses out of it before.
Long story short, go… if you can! If you can’t, maybe I’ll be nice enough to bring you as my guest.

Waiting 20 minutes to get 3 cans of PBR — $ 9 worth of beer. Didn’t leave a tip, but when I checked my bank statement a few days later found that the pub charged me $ 13.50. Go suck a lemon, guys. Bartenders here are a bunch of cheating scum.

BU Students are so lucky they have this gem on campus. The sandwiches here are delicious and cheap. They have fun sandwiches named after different professions, or you have the option of making your own sandwich. They have a ton of breads, meats, toppings to choose from. You also get a side of chips or pretzels with your sandwich.
The bar selection here is pretty fantastic. They have so many bottled beers and beers on tap that they created the Knights Quest. People who try all the beers they have at the bar are «knighted.» Plus the beer here is SO CHEAP. Extra brownie points for that!
Seating can be limited sometimes. The line for beer can get kinda long, and there is usually only one guy behind the bar. The sandwiches can take a while, but they are totally worth the wait. I love the look and the charm of this place. It’s definitely one of my favorite spots in Boston.

This is a really fun place to come after work if you’re BU staff or faculty. It’s neat to see a place where students, faculty, staff, and even the Deans raise their glasses together. On any given night, you might even bump into Dean Elmore here!
They have a fantastic selection of beers from all over the country and the world. Try the «Knight’s Quest»! If you have one of every 50 beers on the menu, you’ll get «Knighted.» It’s basically one of those «mug clubs» that lots of pubs have. They periodically change the beers on the menu, but it’s done by number… so if you already had #6 on the menu but they change what #6 is before you complete your quest, you still get credit for it.
They’ve got some pretty good food, too. I’ve even come here for lunch when I’m working. Really good sandwiches and soup. When the weather is warm, they open the patio and set up a grill to cook burgers and dogs.
It’s a private club only for students, faculty, staff, and Alumni, and their guests. They do check ID… not just state ID for proof of age, but BU ID for proof of affiliation with the school. If you are not affiliated with BU, you must be accompanied by someone who is.
If you come when it’s busy, expect to wait in line to make your order. There’s usually only one bartender and he’s rarely in much of a rush. Hey, if you want quick service, go to The Dugout.

Things I don’t understand:
1) Why the line is always really, really, REALLY long
2) Why it is always hot in there
3) Why more people don’t do the bartenders a solid and return their empty pitchers
Things I understand, and like a lot:
1) The Knight’s Quest, thought I doubt I’ll finish it
2) The outside patio
3) The sandwiches — they’re pretty bomb!
Save yourself some grief and bring
1) Your ID (if you’re international, it’s gotta be a passport)
2) Your BU ID
3) Cash — closing a tab sucks!

I frequented the Pub many a day during and after my time as a BU student. After class, any day of the week, the Pub guaranteed a solid bite and at times, a relatively quiet place to hang out that was outside of a dining hall, the GSU or nearby CAS (where I, along with a million other students) went to school.
Unfortunately I wasn’t one who caught on to the trend of trying ever beer they offer to gain a certain bit of notoriety, but I wasn’t upset about it all. There’s a great selection, the staff is polite, and they’re fairly quick with preparing your food (although there can be quite a delay depending on what day/​time) when you walk into the oaky, dark Pub. There’s great BU memorabilia hanging from the walls and you’re bound to see some professors here on occasion. The outdoor seating area is a must when Boston decides to get over the snowy season, so definitely try to get a spot outside if you can. It’s been some time since I’ve been here since graduation, but I do have fond memories with BU pals. Don’t forget to bring one along with you — you’ll need them to get through the door.

My department has a deal where every other Friday we get tickets for 1 $ that are good for a beer, glass of wine, or 5 $ off a cocktail. Who cares if the décor sucks, there’s no place to sit, and the music sounds like somebody got stuck in a crappy 1990s time warp?
Seriously, when I was debating whether or not to come to BU for grad school, everybody kept telling me about the perks. Like dollar beer night. And I’m glad I made the decision that I did. Thanks BU.

If you went to Boston University you should be familiar with this place, if you go there now and you’re not… find it! The Pub is also simply called The Castle, any BU student can point you in the right direction, or maybe they can’t?
This was a Thursday night MUST for me during my GSM days in the mid 90’s. The great thing about Boston, I went back for the first time in 15 years and not a thing changed. Same wood panelled watering hole, but with two upgraded televisions. It has a certain mystic feeling, beginning with the big wood door and Gothic sign (pub rules) out front. Important, only BU ID carrying students or alumni are allowed behind the wooden door into the bowels of the castle.
Why is it solid? Good variety of beers, great sandwiches, yes sandwiches, and a fun BU crowd, including administrators. If you throw darts, you’re covered on that front also. Cheers to a truly special place on Commonwealth Ave… good luck finding it.