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Anchovies
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
433 Columbus Ave(between Braddock Park & Holyoke St)
Boston, MA 02116
Neighborhood: South End
(617) 266-5088
- Nearest Transit:
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Dartmouth St @ Appleton St (10, 170)
Tremont St @ Pembroke St (43)
Tremont St @ W Brookline St (43)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 4 pm - 2 am
Sun 3 pm - 2 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
179 reviews for Anchovies
Review Highlights
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"If you go try the chicken parm its awesome." In 12 reviews -
"I highly recommend the truffle fries." In 9 reviews -
"This a great late night spot to nosh and grab some drinks." In 14 reviews
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179 reviews in English
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Review from Susan C.
4/16/2012
Anchovies is a hole in the wall restaurant hidden on Columbus Ave. in the South End. It's located next to Giacomo's if you're curious.
Stumbled upon this place on a Saturday night after having a horrible time at the Beehive. I would have never known the place was there if my friend who lives in the South End didn't point it out. The ambiance is definitely dark and divey, but the customers are not sketchy bums or hobos by any means. It's a pretty clean cut crowd here.
Drinks are cheap, as is the food. I didn't eat anything here, as I had already eaten dinner beforehand, but I did eye the menu briefly and the prices were cheap. I'd be back to try some of the dishes. It was mostly Italian fare from what I saw. -
Review from Lynn J.
5/21/2012
Anchovies...You either like them or you don't.
My dining partner liked the food...but I didn't.
SERVICE: The waiter was fast & friendly.
DRINKS: The drinks were modest & moderately priced.
FOOD: The food is where they lost me...
The fettucini was OVERCOOKED AND MUSHY.
The meatballs were baked, making them soft & mushy too.
(I prefer pan fried to baked meatballs for this reason.)
The lasagna had NO RED SAUCE, MUSHY PASTA,
and was sitting in a POOL OF OIL and melted cheese.
This is FAR from a traditional lasagna, and so,
their menu should clearly state that before you order it.
It appears to be a Northern recipe based on sharp cheese & oil. -
Review from Melissa P.
Boston, MA
Updated - 4/30/2012 3 Check-ins Here
It had been a few months and I was craving their Italian nachos, so my husband and I came here for dinner this past weekend. We were expecting the usual wait and wriggled our way up to the bar after putting our name in for a table.
Not only has the decor changed (sadly toned down, in my opinion), but so has the bartender, hostess, and the clientele. We still connected with some neighborhood folks, like we usually end up doing here, but the rest of the people just looked awkwardly out of place.
After waiting almost an hour for a table (when we were told our wait would be a half hour), I asked the hostess for an update on when we'd be seated. She said she had called our name a while back but couldn't find us. Now, if you have been to Anchovies, you know how small this place is and how, if someone is calling out a name, pretty much everyone in the entire restaurant hears it. Apparently, calling out names should be part of the interview process for hostesses here.
We were told to keep waiting while she checked how much longer it would be, but after about five minutes, it was clear she was not planning to come back over to the bar to talk to us. My husband and I promptly left and had dinner elsewhere, talking the whole way down the street about how sad we were that Anchovies just isn't the same as it used to be.Listed in: My Neighborhood
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/14/2008
Anchovies is the ultimate neighborhood bar/restaurant. If you can get a seat at the bar, you're in… Read more »
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Review from Marcela P.
Boston, MA
5/26/2012
Im writing this review in short sentences-- Anchovies is an original. Nothing like this place for a nitecap. Most recent dinner: lamb meatballs. So delicious. My hub (HB) had the chicken parm sub. He loves it. Always gets it. For me, the plates are rather large. But hey: you can always share.
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Review from Annie G.
3/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is a solid late night bar with decent Italian food. We showed up with a group of 8 on a Sunday night, and it was pretty poppin'. The place isn't too big, and it's a tad dark (not necessarily a bad thing), and the menu's pretty straightforward. You won't find anything too fancy here! I ordered a mushroom and italian sausage pasta, and half of us shared a basket of fries, too. The portions are plenty large, so I ended up taking most of my pasta home. :)
This bar's not too far from our apartment in Back Bay and is surrounded by residential buildings. I'd probably come back for a late night snack or bar gathering. -
Review from Dustin O.
Boston, MA
3/24/2012
Awesome quick cheap eats in the South End.
Have only had take out but their Caesar Salad is one of the best and the Stuffed Peppers entree is BOMB!
Wanna eat inside - very cool -
Review from Julie C.
Portland, ME
4/23/2012
Looked sketchy from the street and upon entering but it ended up being a great place! Food was very good and inexpensive. Dipping oil was unbelievable, bread ok. Mussels on linguine is a must, but share, portion size was huge. The Ricciardi pasta was lovely, sage sausage with a cream sauce and mushrooms. Lasagna was incredible. Chicken and eggplant parm were both very good but a bit too cheesy for my taste. Our waiter was great, totally casual but highly attentive.
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Review from Piyali S.
Boston, MA
2/26/2012
I wish I lived closer to Anchovies because while I absolutely adore this place I don't go enough!
Synopsis: Good cheap eats in a super chill, non pretentious environment, perfect for a chill Friday night to catch up with a few friends. While I wouldn't describe this spot as a pub, because that implies a focus on the drink and sub-par eats; however, it has the pub feel with the spotlight on the food.
I usually like to describe my meals in painstaking detail but unfortunately I don't remember my entree. I do remember that it was cheesy and wholesome and whatever Rhea got was excellent as well. Though I've never tried them, their pizzas look and smell delicioso so check that out if you're in the mood. -
Review from Juan B.
Quincy, MA
4/10/2012
I gave the place five stars due to there awesome staff and food!! I was taken here by my friend and I definitely will be returning! Small venue so get there early, good menu size. Hidden gem in the city especially for a cozy home feeling!
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Review from Zach G.
3/1/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I have two varying experiences at this bar/restaurant over a two night period.
Day 1 (insert Law&Order Music): I stumbled upon this place on my walk back to the hotel leavings Wally's. I had been recommended to try this place and found it funny I was now walking past it. As I checked over my shoulder constantly to make sure I wasn't about to get stabbed and mugged, I headed into the place because its not like I have a lot of options to use the restroom in the middle of no where downtown Boston.
I order a few beers and a peperoni pizza. Let's see if the basics do the job.
Pizza was fantastic. Very greasy but VERY VERY good. Then again maybe I was too drunk to notice it wasn't the greatest ever. Which I found out the next day to be true. Atmosphere alone was worth it. Nice bartender who thought I was overly drunk and lost was nice to me.
Day 2 (insert Law & Order remixed by Skrillex (keep in mind I hate Skrillex's wump wump crap ass music): Bar was lively, but not TOO lively. Good mix of people in here eating and drinking. A group of about 5 were sitting at the end of the bar and my friend and I sit down to have drinks near them about two seats away. Then "The Douchebag" sits down next to me. I'll get back to him later. So my friend and I are having a conversation just bs'ing and having our first round of drinks debating on getting a pizza or something else. That was when the "The Douchebag" next to me just joins in our conversation as the creepster had been listening in the entire time like he was a part of the conversation. Well, as to not cheapen this review any further I pounded down 3 more beers just suffering listen to this douchebag ramble on about how I'm an A-hole and all this other stuff. Finally the bartender starts paying attention and kind of gets the guy to back off but at that point I was ready to leave. So we did and I may go back one day. But only to roundhouse kick "The Douchebag" in the face and then grab another beer.Listed in: Yelp 100 for 2012
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Review from Anthony R.
Boston, MA
2/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Hidden. F*cking. Gem. Well, not so hidden since everyone goes here now, but really small/unassuming from the outside and has GREAT food. Their specials never disappoint and it's a great late night haunt. Everything is reasonably priced and delicious. I've been here countless times, usually after 11pm, and never really have a problem walking right in and grabbing a booth. However, lately I've needed to wait upwards of 1/2 an hour to get a table and one time the line was out the door so I just went elsewhere. I love how it has a dive feel to it and everything is extremely casual... it's one of my favorite locations in the city.
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Review from mike G.
4/8/2012
the wait at Giacomo's was an hour (didn't make res) and that's how we ended up next door at Anchovies. what stroke of delicious luck it was. shared garlicky penne alfredo w/ chicken & broccoli, cheesy braised pork-bell pepper lasagna and potato gnocchi w/ short rib ragu (salad, bread comes with). come starvin marvin and have yourself a reeaaal cheap feast.
Listed in: South End, Jacob's Ladder
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Review from Jason B.
Updated - 10/19/2011
Just a quick note for any neophytes: If you see a girl with a clipboard walking around calling names, don't ask to put your name on that list unless you want to eat next door at Giacomo's.
If you want a table at Anchovies, just ask the bartender.
DOH!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/11/2010
There is literally nothing on this menu that is not worth eating. Read more »
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Review from Ella B.
Los Olivos, CA
12/11/2011
We tried to get a table at Giacomo's but the wait was an hour to an hour and a half, so we went to Anchiovie's instead and was pleasantly surprised by the friendly service, food and choice of drinks.
Don't let it fool you, it may look like a dive bar (and that may be appealing to some folks out there...), but it's a nice friendly place to get a drink and a bite to eat.
The food is your typical "americanized" italian but decent. The portions are large and filling.
Great choice of beers and a full bar (yippee!), good wines at about $6/glass. Beers around $4.50-$6/pint, cocktails around $10.
Entrees are about $10-16, apps $4-10.
Decent food, fair prices, friendly service and a full bar.... I'm sold! :) -
Review from Ben W.
Boston, MA
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great neighborhood pub that also serves amazing italian food!
At first glance it looked more like a pub than a restaurant, but I was plesantly surprised by the great tasting food, as well as cheap prices. Also, it was a friday night and every other restaurant had 1.5-3hr wait times, but we had no delay for a table at Anchovies.
Linguine carbonara was to die for. They werent stingy with the chunks of bacon, and the sauce was creamy and delicious. We also had a penne and sausage dish with red sauce that was tasty.
Even the beers were reasonable ($6 for a pint of their special Winter ale) and the service was prompt, but I never got the feeling they were trying to push us through dinner and out the door.
Go here! -
Review from Sara S.
Boston, MA
8/17/2011
I FUCKING LOVE THIS PLACE. If I could give it a million stars, I would.
While I'm not typically a fan of red sauce italian, Anchovies is so much more than pasta with marinara and chicken parm. I can say PROUDLY that my first meal here was a carb-feast to fuel up for the Boston Marathon, and since then, have been to Anchovies at least once a week. Fast track to being a regular!
The dirty martinis are the best I've ever had, and they pour them very, very generously. No place else compares to the quantity or quality of the martinis. Go-to for food? I always get the Greek Salad with chicken and pesto dressing... SO GOOD. Also, truffle fries, nachos (they will do a half order, as well as vegetarian, and a ziti dish with chicken sausage... name escapes me.
I can't wait to try their calzones, pizza, and other deliciousness.
OH, and TERRY is the BEST server. GO TERRY GO!!!!! -
Review from Raj K.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/18/2011
Came here while visiting Boston for a convention, and was definitely surprised by how good it was. It basically looks like a dive bar. Once I sat down, I had a lovely seasonal beer and got down to the business of ordering. The fried ravioli's to start with were great. They reminded me of those tostino's pizza rolls... but better.
Dinner was the Ricciardi which came with a salad. The salad... meh... take it home for your pet rabbit. But the Ricciardi itself... man that was definitely a keeper. I got through about half of it before I realized I was actually full, and I was eating for sport at that point. The flavor was very good.
And pleasantly, it wasn't very expensive! If I actually lived in Boston, I'd go back often. -
Review from Monte R.
Austin, TX
9/14/2011
Anchovies is why I LOVE Yelp! I got referred her by Yelpers.
And, OMG, Anchovies is like some of the BEST homestyle Italian food I've ever had anywhere. Seriously. It's like they've got Mama Roma Italaliano locked up in the kitchen here - the food is like incredible, no hyperbole here, it's amazing.
I started with "Italian Nachos" - nachos baked with mozzarella, marinara meat sauce, ricotta cheese, peppers. Delicious! Neve had anything like it in my life. Very inventive!
For an entree, I had beef stuffed green peppers over pasta, smother in homemade marinara sauce. Delicious.
As for ambience, it's a bar, kinda small, not many seats, but a cool wood/brick and old school kinda bar, decoratedd up Boston/Italian way. It's not a fancy restaraunt - but who cares, the food is delicious. Very impressed. I LOVED IT!
Beautiful stuff. Don't miss out on Anchovies when visiting Boston! -
Review from Carolyn L.
Boston, MA
9/4/2011
Having eaten at way too many restaurants around town, it's nice to escape to somewhere a little more intimate. Tucked away next to the more popular (and might I add, sorely over-rated) Giacomo's, Anchovies is a real hidden gem and its appeal lies in the fact that it's absolutely unlike its neighbor. Small and dimly lit, Anchovies is casual and cozy, housing some interesting conversation-starting decor, and an overall chillax and unpretentious atmosphere.
The food is completely worth what you pay for. You get good sized portions at prices that won't make your wallet cry-- and it tastes good! Baked cheese polenta and potato gnocchi were both solid and definitely recommended. The only downside is that they have a small menu but the food is good enough to order again once you've exhausted the menu.
I've had positive experiences with food and service the several times I've eaten at Anchovies. Recommend if you're looking for a low-key place with quality food in the South End/Back Bay area. -
Review from Mathias G.
Allston, MA
6/9/2011
I loved this place. LOVED it. And maybe, down the line it'll get a five star rating, but i'm apprehensive to bestow such a score on any place i've only once visited.
Needless to say, what a REFRESHING change from the usual South End ballyhoo. Anchovies serves good Italian food, but you wouldn't be able to guess italian by the decor. Inside and out, Anchovies looks like a funky, semi-dive bar. The space is comprised mainly of a long bar along the right side of the long room, with a handful of booths and tables in the back. The walls have kitsch--photos, taxidermied animals etc.
Prices are reasonable anywhere, cheap in the south end. Menu isn't huge, and really broken up into three categories: Pizza, Pasta, and Sandwhiches (although there are a few deviations from that, such as eggplant and chicken parm, and baked cheese polenta). But the food is great, and I don't want to make the menu sound uninteresting. This is not pizzaria italian food. It's a handful of solid notches above that.
Entrees range from $11-$14. I got the "Ricciardi" pasta, penne with chicken sage sausage and mushrooms in a tomato cream sauce. It was tangy, cheesy, delicious. I also have to forward the recommendation of the pesto salad dressing. Wonderful.
Anyway, I'll definitely be back here. Let me try a few more entrees and hopefully I'll be able to give this place a five star rating. I work in the south End, and Anchovies seems like a great after-work spot, especially since the kitchen is open till 1:30 -
Review from shreenath R.
San Francisco, CA
8/7/2011
Yelp has not failed me for late night eats! Anchovies is an excellent Italian resto that happens to be open late.
Amazing selection for vegetarian italian - from a gnocchi that they can make vegetarian w/ their marinara to the jalapeno cheese ravioli, but quite simple but elegant bites. The Garlic bread w/tomato n cheese trumps a lot of bruschetta or grilled cheese at once in flavor.
Great beer selection with a menu of local summer ales among several others - and not to mention sox game on all tvs, a cheerful but not annoying waitstaff, always around on cue, and finally, amazing bread + a spicy olive dip that reminds me of why even bread dip can make a difference.
Props to this place and the one miss i'll suggest is, don't get the salad and focus on the rest! -
Review from Presha C.
Boston, MA
7/15/2011
I am SO happy I live near Anchovies. What's not to like??? Cheap, great food, weirdly fun decor, and you feel like you're in a cave. Dig it.
I felt like I found a hidden gem in the South End because of how low-key Anchovies is, but clearly, tons of great reviews and tons of accolades; well deserved, Anchovies!!! -
Review from Robert B.
6/14/2011
I love this place. Like, a lot. Like, a whole lot. I like the dive-y/kitschy decor toward the back and I like the casual, long bar up the front. I like the neighborhood atmosphere it offers. I like that it isn't pretentious like a lot of other places in the South End. I like that they serve until 1:30 in the morning. And I love that at night they turn the disco ball on.
Needless to say, I've been numerous times and I have never had a bad experience here. It's always been a great time. The food is delicious food and the staff is very friendly. And it's consistent! -
Review from Kayla A.
Boston, MA
12/30/2011
Good food at a good price. The ambiance of the restaurant mirrors that of a dive bar (which is what it becomes later in the evening we discovered) the service was pleasant and speedy. This is definitely a good place to go if you're looking for a low key cheaper meal with friends in Boston!
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Review from Dave C.
3/21/2011
The food was decent but not great.
I came with a few friends including Liz M. below and also tried the stuffed peppers, portabello panini and the aritchokes/grilled chicken salad.
The stuffed peppers i had were alright. I guess it could be up to the fact that it had a ton of cheese and sauce on it. I don't like artichoke in salad form so i can't give an unbiased opinion here. Finally the portabello panini, it was tatsy. But really, how hard is it to mess something like that up?
Anyways, so I give it 3 stars because I tend to be lenient on food at bars.
In terms of ambiance the bar scene looked very lively. And even tho my head was quite congested I was glad that the music wasn't blasting so loud that I couldn't hear the person on the other side of the table at times. -
Review from Patrick B.
Boston, MA
8/2/2011
I cant give Anchovies five stars, but it's almost because they wouldn't want that many.
That said, Anchovies is the most five-star four star restaurant that there is. They stay open late (awesome) have really, really good (not gourmet) italian comfort food. I love the Italian nachos which are different than regular nachos in that they use ricotta cheese instead of nacho cheese and instead of salsa, they use marinara...you're already getting your keys to drive down there after reading that, arent you?
The drinks are great and they're made by bartenders that actually seem to care about you. And the crowd is local and unlike many places in Boston, strangers talk to each other.
What a place! Great place to watch sports or the Oscars (if that is your thing) -
Review from Liz M.
3/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
1. Fruit flies in the potty. I'll give you a bye.
2. Fruit flies in the bread. NO.
3. I tried the famous stuffed peppers and I've never had anything deemed so famous and yet so bland.
4. Also had the artichokes and grilled chicken salad. Way too much cheese. Basil pesto vinaigrette was meh.
They're next door to Giacomo's so they'll get "impatient persons business."
As for me, I don't think this place is worth circling around South End for parking or even a close second to Giacomo's. -
Review from Brandon N.
Boston, MA
3/14/2012
This great bar is one of the last fun drinkin' bars in the south end. Combine that with an affordable Italian menu, and you have a lethal combination. The bar opens at 4 p.m. and it stays open till 2. Plenty of time to get your drink on, and have some of those big-ass 4$ meatballs. The mussels and antipasto are also great and worth a try. Lasagna is just like Mama used to make, and did I mention how cheap it is? It's dark with brick, lots of wood, and a Jack-a-lope--can't have more fun than this. Go now!
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Review from Baking M.
Boston, MA
7/29/2011
I love Anchovies. On Sundays it is even open until 1:30AM. Located next to the South End Giacomo's and famous Charlie's Sandwich Shop, Anchovies is inexpensive, simple Italian.
The bar is dark, fun and has several booths in the back of the bar restaurant.
Every entree comes with italian bread with olive oil and a garden salad with choice of bleu cheese, viniagrette or pesto. The pesto is fresh and tasty, highly recommended.
The fried raviolis have jalapeno cheese and served with a size of fresh marinara.
The eggplant parmesan is flavorful, hearty and a great portion size.
The famous stuffed peppers (stuffed with mounds of cheese and sausage) served with a side of al dente pasta and fresh marinara sauce. -
Review from David L.
Boston, MA
2/18/2011
I love Anchovies
But don't tell EVERYBODY. Then there won't be a place to sit -
Review from Julie N.
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been putting off writing this because I was disappointed to find that it wasn't worth the 4 to 5 stars everyone is giving it. Sigh.
The Italian Nachos desperately needed more toppings on it. They were good, but it took awhile to find the ricotta underneath the bolognese and most of the chips were left uncovered by sauce and therefore let untouched. The Chicken and Artichoke Heart salad would've been great if they didn't put a full cup of pesto dressing on it. I kid you not, a full cup. I loved the salad dressing but it was absolute overkill when all you taste is the dressing and none of the other ingredients. I'll be sure to get the dressing on the side next time. The Chicken Parm was great but not blow me out of the water great and the side of meatballs were on the herby side, but in a good way. They have a great staff, good bread, and cheap drinks so that's always works.
I'll definitely come back here but I just won't have high expectations when I do. It's definitely "A-OK" but not that much more than that. It's a really cool divey place with good food but the food is a little too hyped up from what I experienced. -
Review from Brad D.
Boston, MA
1/11/2011
Where bug-a-boo pushers, gays, and everyone else who lives in the South End goes. It's my Old Faithful.
Cash only, so keep the plastic at home.
You heard it here.Listed in: Best Happy Hour
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Review from christine c.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/19/2011
Came back for more stuffed peppers, fries, sandwiches, drinks, etc. with a pretty rowdy crowd, but Terry was a total doll. It was my roommate's 25th and it was sort of a bust of a night. We tried Underbar, Club Cafe, everything was lame (it was a Sunday, but it was a long weekend, we had higher hopes).
Terry was great, though. He not only put up with my ridiculous bunch of friends, but he was fierce with the bread, giving us rounds upon rounds, which was greatly appreciated after a few too many drinks for some of us.
As always the food was great, the atmosphere was dive-y and the bill was cheap, but Terry really made our night. Not to mention he got the birthday girl one hell of a shot, which I really appreciated since I don't think we told him it was a birthday? Very intuitive, Terry.
Terrific. Terry, I love you the most!
P.S. Other reviews say this place is CASH ONLY, well that's changed. They took multiple cards Sunday night. Just an FYI.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/22/2010
For what it is, this place is GREAT.
Very affordable, late-night, Italian eats. Very much an… Read more »
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Review from Janine A.
Jamaica Plain, MA
8/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ohhhhhh I'm so full. The canelloni just rocked my world. I see stars.
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Review from Tim C.
Boston, MA
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
A staple for late night eating. Cold beer. Excellent spot.
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Review from Christina G.
Boston, MA
9/15/2010
This a great late night spot to nosh and grab some drinks. It's nothing fancy, but:
It's open late
It's inexpensive
and the Italian food really hits the spot when it's after midnight and you've got Caprese on the brain! -
Review from Stephen H.
Dallas, TX
11/12/2011
Fantastic quaint bar....a little tight, and small. Not a gay bar as some have suggested....just in an upscale area, so you may see these types.
Get the special...it may be best thing you ever had. This coming from a Texan. -
Review from Wen-fai F.
Cambridge, MA
1/22/2011
I am going to drop my daytime job and work on a device that teleports Anchovies' truffle fries to me whenever I want. Seriously, I would do anything for these fries.
Anchovies! thank you for being just about the only place open and serving food at 10p on a Wednesday night! My friend and I arrived, probably looking starved and emaciated, because the server was so prompt and attentive. And it may as well have been a McDonalds, the food came out so fast (but was 10x better than McDonalds...) We got, of course, the truffle fries which are thin, crispy fries lightly coated in some (parmesan?) cheese and garlic. And yes, I know nobody ever takes fries home but I took the leftovers home because even two starving girls couldn't finish the enormous basket... we also got linguini carbonara ($14?) which was nice but a bit over-sauced and heavy. But hey, it's cheap bar food and you can't expect gourmet quality!
Nice upscale pub ambiance and if I'm in the area, this'll be my first stop. -
Review from Gerald D.
Boston, MA
I walked into Anchovies for the first time a few Januaries ago after nearly being killed twice on the Turnpike as speeding trucks were pulling 360s in front of me in a terrible snowstorm. My knuckles were white, my face was pale and twitching, and my quads were trembling. The bartender took one look at me, instantly read the situation, and said, "You're not driving anywhere else tonight, are you?" I said No, and they said, "Double vodka, coming right up." I was so grateful for that welcome that I have been eating there every couple of weeks or so ever since.
That's the thing: if you find a place that takes care of you with a simple and good, heaping bowl of penne with Italian sausage and a robust glass of merlot, why ask for more? The conversation of the local crowd at the bar is relaxed and fun, folks are friendly and there's always a Sox game on the TVs at the ends of the bar. I was there the night they won the Series and broke the Curse -- I couldn't think of a better, more connected place I would rather have been in Boston.
The only downside is the wait for a table, especially later in the week, from Thursday night on. But the saving grace of the place is that the kitchen is open ridiculously late, so you can dine at midnight. The martinis are excellent and generous, but desserts are not an option. On the other hand, do you really want to consume a bowl of fructose after a big plate of yummy pasta or a loaded pizza anyway?
Bring a friend and start a conversation with your neighbors at the bar, it's a perfect way to get comfortable in the South End. -
Review from Branson L.
Brooklyn, NY
7/24/2010
Yea! great place... i mean, really. maybe the food isn't what giacommos is next door, but still, i love it... different kind of italian food really... and good beer selection (chimay on tap)
I highly recommend the truffle fries... whoa... and of all the pasta dishes, the ricardi blows the others away hard and fast-like. creamy spicy yum. open late... packed many times (usually with folks waiting for their table next door)
