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Copley (Green)
Back Bay (Orange)
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City Bar is a great place to come with a friend or two and have a delicious, well-made martini. At $12 a pop, luckily you won't need many, since they come strong.
It's too small here for a large group, unless you're lucky to snag a couple of couches early in the night. The bartenders and waitstaff are courteous and efficient, despite a perpetually crowded space.
The crowd- guys in blazers and button downs; girls either dressed to go clubbing after downing a couple cosmos or in cardigans and pearls, looking for guys who wear blazers and button-downs.
Basically--not a wild night out by any means, but a classy place to get saucy.
Two dirty martinis do not a dinner make.
That being said, the bartender knows what he's doing, there's a sexy vibe going on, and I had a fantastic conversation here - both with the man to my right (not a stranger) and with said bartender. And those martinis come strong. And I think I may have come on too strong - but that's neither here nor there.
This place could afford to be bigger... like maybe three more couches. Otherwise the bartender might feel overwhelmed and God forbid - skimp on the vodka.
Come here - leave trashy.
Despite being molested by infantile, alleged finance somethingorothers, this place kicked some booty in the drink and service department.
I walked in and immediately thought I was going to spend the night feeling like a ragdoll in my jeans, boots and sweater. Everyone was all fancified. But settling in at the bar and a few champagne cocktails later, this place really grew on me. The bartenders are attentive (if a bit busy) and the vibe is very laid back despite first impressions.
After boozing, we went over to City Table and had mussels, whipped feta and veggie ravioli. Everything tasted great but my two "must try" recommendations are: the whipped feta and the Sparkler (pear and champagne cocktail). Enjoy!
This place is a cave. A cave with surprisingly good people-watching opportunities. (Some have ventured to call it a "cougar den.") It all depends on the night, but City Bar seems to attract reasonably well-dressed small groups vying for very limited seating. Drinks are standout, and the food is good if somewhat overpriced. I wouldn't wait if there was a line, but generally it's hard to go wrong here.
Went here on a random Saturday night. The bartender was a sweetheart and took her time chatting with us and made me an excellent Cosmo (not usually my drink of choice but it seemed pretentiously right since City Bar reminded me of a place the SATC girls would go to). Ambiance was nice and chill, with music that didn't overpower my voice so that I had to scream to talk. I had heard that it's a cougar hangout but only saw a bunch of older gentlemen perched on stools by the bar, waiting for the right moment to pounce on the gaggles of girls.
Def just a place to hang with friends, not dance.
Yay! I get to yelp about City Bar right after Michael G.! Anyway, I suggested that we come here after dining at Petit Robert (this is after hearing Michael G. rave about his true love for this bar).
We got there just early enough to avoid the line that typically forms after 10 pm or so. I wanted a Singapore Sling, but sadly they didn't have any slow gin, so they gave me a surprise drink (some frothy gin and pineapple cocktail, yum). The crowd is mainly older people (probably staying at the hotel) and 26 - 30 somethings. Also, it was a surprisingly friendly atmosphere, not stuffy at all.
I'll be back and hopefully Michael G. and Katie B. will be with me!
I AM IN BAR LOVE with City Bar!
City Bar in the Lenox Hotel is amazing. The drinks are pricey, but when you going to such a classy location you have to pay for that atmosphere.
The crowd is definitely not college students!! WOOO HOOO!
The bathrooms are extremely clean in the Lenox, so if you are extremely desperate in back bay this is the place to go just for a bathroom pit stop.
They have a great drink selection and it is a very quiet and enjoyable location just to have a quiet drink. They don't have a TV in the bar. Impressive for boston!
Good stuff. A bit of a conservative crowd, look-wise and dress-wise, though there was a girl in a very daring green silk coat that I would never pull off but appreciated nonetheless. Us four girls sat down and ignored the weirdo older men that are staples at places like these and each enjoyed our own and equally delicious martinis. One wanted guava, anything guava, and gave the bartender free reign over what exactly to make. She was impressed and it was yummy, as was the Willy Wonka and the passion fruit one. Chill, dimly lit, generic loungy music in the background, lovely for a couple of chicks kicking back a few damn good martinis. I'll be back.
Classic cocktails and good wine list. This cozy hotel bar is closed off from the rest of the Lennox and has a nice after work weeknight crowd of 30 somethings, a chill atmosphere and nice servers. You are still in Back Bay so the prices are what you'd expect, but with the size of the cocktail, you'll only need a few. Good for dates, friends, or happy hours.
Not very easy to park near, but the drinks are great. This bar is very chill and they have top shelf… Read more »
I love this bar. It's a dark, classy place. Most of the people who work there are really cool and nice. The drinks pack a punch. Tip: there's a late night menu that far exceeds the regular menu in scope and in terms of bar food-type options. It's narrow and made from laminated paper, instead on the wide, leatherbound one. Ask your server for it. Sometimes they'll let you order off of it even when it's not late night.
I LOVE City Bar , the Ginger Peach Martini is my favorite drink of anywhere to date. It is one place in Boston where you do not feel inundated by college students. Totally worth checking out. It loses one star only because there are a lot of creepy older men who will harass you when you go. Every time. Hands down. Never been with out a 50+ (typically married) guy trying to take me home...minus that one draw back, I love this place.
Sometimes, I like to have a classy night out on the town.
(Shocking, I know.)
Sometimes, I just want to sink into a sumptuous chocolate leather couch, with a chic cocktail in one hand (try the Newbury Manhattan!) and a cute boy to pretentiously converse with. We can check out the cute, friendly bartenders who are so willing to make me the poison of my choice. We can send each other seductive glances in the warm, dimly lit atmosphere.
But then, I realize how City Bar is too small and too stifling to be anything but a pregame spot. So I grab aforementioned Cute Boy, down the rest of my $12 martini, and peace out for some cheesy place like Gypsy Bar or Rumor.
You can take the girl out of the skanktastic, but you can't take the skanktastic out of the girl :)
Small, cute bar. Classy feel to it. Crowd age ranging from late 20s to 30s.
Bartenders are always friendly.
Tried the calamari once and it was excellent-served with mango salsa and chipotle dipping sauce and pepperoncinis.
Great Champagne! Would come again for a more relaxing outing.
I LOVE IT HERE! Nice assortment of music, to get the party started. A great bar and even better bartenders. Thanks for making me my juice cocktail for free! I felt like a star! I don't know what was in my cocktail, except for various juices, but I loved it. He even did the little shake shake shake thing to make it seem like I was getting a boozy concoction. I love how cozy and cool it is in here.
I will be back many times!!
If you're looking for something more upscale than the Rattlesnake Bar down the block, City Bar has a very classy ambiance and attracts good looking young professionals. Be prepared to drop some serious dough, though -- the martinis are $12. They are big and delicious, though - I had a French 75 (gin, raspberry liquor and champagne) and it was one of the best martinis I've ever had.
The martini was so strong that I had to order food in order to stay in the game, so I tried the Cubano sandwich -- and it was pretty frickin' amazing. Perfect bread, yummy meat, sweet pickles on the side, and comes with fries for $11. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it.
City Bar is perfect for after work drinks or an evening where you do not want to be in a bar with noisy drunks or rowdy sport fans.
Must Taste:
french 75 martini
peach mint julep
Try the Cuban Sandwich ($11). Spicy pork, salami, ham, some pickles, and a little cheese will put you right where you need to be. The fries are also pretty rocking. Food aside, this is a classy upscale bar for whatever your classy upscale bar needs are. First date quality? Yes. Meet some random older woman and hook-up? Yes. This place is definitely a cougar den so let some stubble grow, spike your hair, and put on your douchebag shirt.
There is a pretty extensive cocktail list, so if you are looking for something out of the ordinary then you should check out the menu. If you are a classy man like myself then I would recommend you a Tom Collins--one of the best ones I have had in the city came from this place. Be prepared to spend $10+ on any liquors, hands down. Usually this would be a problem for me, but this place is so chill I'm okay with it.
Bottom Line: Looking for a sugar momma/daddy? This is ground zero.
UPDATE: I almost forgot, the urinals have TVs above them and the urinals don't use water (they are "state of the art" according to the sign next to them).
It's a small bar. the walls are padded. it's dark. feels like home.
couches that jut into the floor. groups that huddle towards the edges. seems like the bartenders don' t want you to pay. rather you stay and watch as people wander by in the hotel lobby. there is an awning on the outside of the lennox but there are no proper windows that look out. my drink was cheaper that I was expecting for this type of place but still good. bring those people because you aren't going to meet many.
I am obsessed with the P.C. Southside. So awesomely delicious! I could sit there and drink it all day and all night.
Turns out I realy like hotel bars. Many of my favorite bars in Boston are hotel bars. This place is great. Right down the block from where I work. No obnoxious college kids. A great place for a low-key night & fancy cocktails. The price is reasonable and the atmosphere is cool.
Happy hour, anyone?
If I had a ton of money to blow, I might stay here all night with a friend or two.. but I dont. Its a great place to kick off a night on the town with the ladies though. They have some yummy martinis on their drink list and yummp champagne options too. Try the tuna tartare... its delicious.
The decor in there is super posh and hip looking. I always stare at the luminated picture behind the bar thinking it will change like a TV. It doesnt so dont bother haha. The bartenders are super attentive and always up for giving suggestions. I would say definitely stop in here before heading out or on a special occasion. Its worth a look.
Solid bar
In a nice hotel
Great bathrooms
Superb drinks
Fantastic whiskey collection
No real downsides here
Just a good solid small classy intimate comfortable bar to hang at
Along with Solas, City Bar is nestled within the Lenox Hotel near the Copley T stop. From what we were told, this was a haven for cougars, though we saw few to none in our epic travails.
However, this is still a decent bar. Their infused cocktails are good. In particular, the Devil's Water, a mix of ginger syrup, lemon juice, and infused rum, is a trip. It's incredibly tough to drink quickly (it's much more a sipping drink), and one could only imagine that the drink itself came from the River Styx itself, though I would imagine that would be more on fire, and if you actually were to try and drink it, the three-headed Cerberus would jump you and bite you in three different places. That's no fun, so just stick with this.
Ambiance is nice. You've got the random picture in the middle of the room that glows (not to the level of Dan C's shirt, but I digress). It's also a decent set-up for food. But really, you are here for post-work or end-of-day drinks, and that it does quite well.
I go here with agirlfriend of mine probably once a month. It is small and classy and never too crowded. We both love getting the strawberry mojito's which aren't on the menu but you can usually get the bartender to make them. We also love the bar menu...they have these incredibly yummy wings that are coated in this sticky sweet sauce....so delicious!
I wasn't very impressed with City Bar when we finally got in. The bouncers were rather rude and refused to let us in even though large groups of people were coming out when we wanted to go in. They also get fewer stars because of they did not have midori. What an odd thing for a bar to not have.
Either way, I will not be going back to City Bar. There are a lot of other decent places to spend time in rather than spending time in line trying to get into.
I can not believe that I have not reviewed City Bar before! This is my favorite bar in the city. Part of my affinity may be for the great times that I had there with the old bartender Scott behind the bar, but this place still tops my list.
The drinks are always right on, the service is great, and the small dark atmosphere is perfect for talking with your date, husband, or friend. (Killer Sidecar!) The one downside is all of the older men that you will probably run into late Saturday night, but if you don't talk to them they won't bother you. I love starting my night at City Bar or hanging out for a few hours!
I love to dance like the best of them, but this is not the place to dance. It does not even bill itself that way so if you are looking for a drunk dance fest keep on walking.
I think the City Bar sounds cool place to be and such and as far as the other bars go there cool too and have not been or heard of any of those bars before at all and hopefull will get to to those bars at some point and such and do alot of stuff as well.
from,Jon DiStefano
So I was staying at the hotel and had to grab drinks here. Seriously though, what's up with the good reviews. Maybe it was just me, it was just very standard.
The hotel itself is balls awesome but this place had a very top 80 80s and 90s soundtrack (yeah the songs you're hoping not to remember) and expensive cocktails. Kinda blah.
Gotta give props to the bar lighting display though.
People actually wait to get in here? Wow that's weird, must be Boston thing.
Great little place! Dimly light, chill music that's not too loud, and a strange cologny/perfumy smell. Not everybody agrees with me on the smell, but I like to think I'm not the only one. It may be a little more expensive, but not much. The beers are only a buck or so more. But I think the food is the real find. I stole some of Katie V.'s Cubano sandwich, and it....was....frigging....incredible. Although I'm no connosaur (rwwwaarr!!!), it's not the first one I've had, and it's definitely the best I've had. Best of all, it's not all that pricey ($11).
The martini menu was really great, I'm not usually a martini drinker, but the chocolate martini I ordered was delicious. Minor snafu with the waitress bringing my sister in law the wrong martini, but other than that, it was a really nice, not-too-loud, loungey bar.
a wee man with curly hair and a startlingly white epidermis blasted the lyrics to a NOTORIOUS rap last time i was here. there i was, enjoying my cocktail, minding my own business, and off he goes- he rapped every word, his arms flailing wildly as he went, his sweaty head bobbing to and fro enthusiastically beneath his odd, curly hair. i figured he was a smidgen drunk, seeing as i could actually discern the sound of alcohol sloshing around his insides as he gyrated about.
yes, it was entertaining.. for the first minute. but as the song continued and more sweat and spit flew about, i began to feel very uncomfortable. like maybe he would kill me when the music stopped... should i applaud? bust a move? turn away? sing along? no. i don't know the words.
before i could fully evaluate the situation, the bouncers were escorting him out. he was outraged. can't a man flail and rap a little? i was relieved. that man was a whole lot of crazy.
good security.
good [pricey] drinks.
love the small, low lit space.
my original sentiments remain.
carry on city bar, carry on.
this bar is plain sexy. it's like this: when you want sexy panties, you go with the g-string (but… Read more »
City Bar is alright in my book. And by my book I mean the one titled, "Places to Go Before You Head to Your Real Destination" or, in short, "Pre-Game Places for Adults."
For those of you who like to get in a few drinks before you arrive place to be for the evening, City Bar is the perfect spot. As you get older and pregaming is defined less by chugging beers and beirut and more by a few well-made cocktails, City Bar is the answer.
I don't think I could handle an entire evening in City Bar. It's crazy small, conspicuously dark and it's location, in a hotel, brings a sort of surly crowd. The music is barely audible, there is no room to dance and if you can't find a seat, there is no place to stand where you're not in the way.
Stop in for some of the better cocktails made on Boylston and then be on your way.
I adore City Bar! It is probably my favorite place in Boston to go for drinks and good conversation. In fact, it's a little taste of NYC in the form of a small and intimate hotel bar in the Copley area. Their Basil Gimlet is absolutely delicious, as are most of their other drinks. And, with a full bar, they can make anything you want. Get there early to get a space at the bar or a cute table. After 10, you'll be waiting in a line but if you flirt a little with the bouncers, you should be inside with a Gimlet in hand pretty quickly. :)
Oh, and if you're often worried about bathrooms when you go out like I am, rest assured. As this is part of the Lenox Hotel, the bathrooms are gorgeous - you'll be washing and moisturizing your hands with L'Occtaine brand products! Enjoy.
City Bar is warm, cozy, and radiates a chic purple haze.
I've been a couple times when I'm looking for a swanky but not too swanky spot to grab a drink near Newbury. At $11-12 a pop, the drinks are a little pricey for me to encourage my social companions to head here often, but their mixology is solid and creative.
When I'm feeling adventurous, I grab a crafted champagne cocktail like the Geisha (green tea and pomogranite), and when I felt less like living on the edge, I stuck with my standby French 75. It wasn't the best one I've had, but definitely palatable.
The clientele is fun for people watching (i.e. awkward adult first dates and businessmen hitting on the bartender) and the couches look comfy.
I'm also oddly mesmerized by the hologram-tv-thing that changes colors.
Tucked away in a tiny space inside the beautiful Lenox Hotel, City Bar is an ideal spot for a stiff dirty (martini that is) in a sophisticated setting. I think that the atmosphere is fitting for virtually any type of encounter, whether business, romantic, or just to catch up with the girls. Drinks are on the pricey side but the feel in here is so Manhattan that you just expect it.
As others mention, City Bar is crammed with tourists, 3 piece suit-types and Europeans on holiday. And with that comes opportunity-rich people watching.
This is one great bar and lounge. The martinis were perfect and the margaritas were probably the best we've had. Highly recommended if you're in the Back Bay area of Boston. Close to restaurants on Newberry Street etc.
City Bar. Not outstanding, not terrible.
Tucked away in the Lenox hotel, this tiny bar is always full. Maybe that's because it's so small... but in any event. I have never seen it empty. Its dark and mysterious and there is always some kind of swanky music playing in the background.
Decent cocktail menu, a tad overpriced but what else would you expect. It is somewhat pretentious, but overall good vibe and tolerable for a few hours at a time. The cocktail waitresses are major flakes- if you want anything either sit at the bar or ask a bartender.
Oh, and I did once see John Mayer there, so I guess that's worthy of an extra star.
City Bar gets 4 stars from me because it's good for what it's good for. That's about it. I don't spend all night here...Just stop in for a drink or two before moving on or going home...and I think that's the best approach. Their drinks are very good, well mixed and perfectly strong (and I am PICKY when it comes to mixed drinks!). The ambiance is pretty neat...Dark and cozy, a bit noisy but managable. I do have a bit of a gripe with the crowd at City Bar. There can be some sketchy dudes in here sometimes, usually married or otherwise committed, looking to talk to everything and anything that has a pulse. As Laura stated in her review, they're easily ignored, though, so it's not unbearably annoying. Thumbs up, City Bar. Next time I'm in your 'hood, I'll probably stop in for a visit.
I really like this bar. It is dark lit and mysterious and the sounds of live slow jazz in the background. I will admit that there is a long line after 10. But I had 2 pretty girls with me so I walked up to the front, smiled at the bouncer and said "c'mon and I look down at each girl on each arm" and he let me in .
Long story short, really cool upper class bar but you will have a hard time getting in if you are with just guys. So go find some cute girls, have them hang on to your arm and see if you can work your magic......
My boyfriend and I tried out City Bar for the first time last summer and have just kept on going back. We went on a weeknight so it was pretty empty which was nice and we were able to score a cozy spot on a couch in a corner so our conversation was uninterrupted. I haven't noticed too much about the crowd there except that they seem to be older, but my boyfriend and I don't go there looking for a wild time. It's just a nice classy place to grab a few drinks and kick back without having to deal with any of the college scene.
City Bar reminds me of a place I'd find in NYC. It's just so classy and upscale, I totally dug the vibe of the place.
I had the nantucket red, which was this really sweet sparkly drink. My friend had a ginger mojito and she really liked it. We decided to split a couple dishes: the Bibb Lettuce and the Feta and Roasted Peppers dip. Both were really, really good. The place wasn't full and the service was attentive enough.
Definitely want to come back. Their music was phenomenal!
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Hotels
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