Solas
- Nearest Transit:
Copley (Green)
Back Bay (Orange)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: Live
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
60 Reviews for Solas
If you go here on a week night, don't bring a large crowd unless you know they're opening up the second floor. The first floor is pretty small and they back you in like sardines. If you are by chance there on a night you can get upstairs it's a pretty fun place to go if you have a large group. We've managed to get twelve people at one table comfortably with waitress service. The quesadillas are absolutely amazing and everything is pretty reasonably priced for a hotel bar.
The only negative thing is don't wait until the last minute to use the bathroom. It's like a scavenger hunt to get there. Luckily most of the hotel staff knows what you're looking for and will guide you to them.
Not horrible but not amazing.
For some reason, I've always had the image of bars located in hotels as being the tackiest and cheesiest things ever. So when some friends offered up Solas as one of our final Boston hangout nights, I was preparing myself for lonely old men puffing on cigars, swooshing their whiskey around, and thumbing through their manuscripts/fiddling with their Blackberries. Plus, Solas is in a really dead area at night on Boyleston and has a name that is reminiscent of 14 year olds on a shopping trip.
Well, much to my surprise, the bar was actually pretty crowded with young 20-somethings on a weeknight. The space was pretty awkward, though. BUT. The bathrooms in the adjacent hotel were completely awesome. That sounds nerdy, but I think most women, drunk or not, do not enjoy maneuvering through a jungle of used tissue and puddles of god knows, wiping down toilet seats, hovering over toilet seats, having to consciously avoid touching anything, etc. when their bladder is the size of their heads. So Solas has ridded me of the Lonely Old Mens Club image I've had of hotel bars and made me want every bar to be located within a 4 star hotel.
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An Irish bar that is completely non-hospitable. There was a line to get in but when we got in the place wasn't that full and was a total sausage fest, and not in a good way. It was all corporate types hanging with there crony type corporate friends sliding their wedding rings off and into their pocket. Yup, me and my gal aren't dopes we notice when your hitting on us and you have a tan-line on the fourth finger on you left hand.
The waitstaff was rude and condescending to me and my friend.
To find a bathroom you have to leave the bar head up the stairs to the lobby of the Lenox hotel, not really conducive after having a few. Then they will give you a hard time when you try to come back in thru the side door, no they want you to walk back outside and stand in line again. After me putting up a fuss they let me back in sans line. Thanks.
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I love the big stone booths in the back and the fireplace - the whole place has a very cozy vibe and it's the perfect place for a beer on a chilly, wintery evening. The salads are also delicious. I feel like I could come here with a book and just sit and read and have a perfectly lovely afternoon or evening. I'd probably wait until it gets wintery again to check this place out - for me it doesn't exactly scream "summer", but once fall sets in - definitely give it a try!
Walking down Boylston St. one winter's day after some time at the library, Mandah and I stopped in here on a whim. Its brightly colored Guinness ad next to the front entrance to the Lenox caught our eye.
The hostess immediately led us to our table and waited an embarrassingly long amount of time for me to get out of my coat, put it on the chair back and to sit down before she put down my menu. Why do they do that anyway? I could see that being protocol at a nice restaurant, but here? Just put down the menu, especially when my gangly arms are struggling to remove themselves from my winter coat. Anyway, the decor is kind of tacky and not in a good way. Partitions between tables were these fake looking stone walls that just kind of bugged the shit out of me. I highly doubt they use badly cemented together fieldstones to separate booths in Ireland restaurants.
Anyway, our all-too-friendly waitress came over to our table and I ordered a Killian's Irish Red beer, the curry chips (French fries to the rest of us) and the shepherd's pie for the main course. The curry fries were actually pretty damn good. I could see myself coming back here for just those and a pint someday. They were savory and just spicy enough to keep things interesting. My shepherd's pie however, was just okay. I've had much better in the past. The prices were a tad higher than I certainly would have preferred, but it is a restaurant in a hotel... I should have expected that. Also, our server took waaaaaay too long getting the check to us, despite running past our table several times. There was a guy at the bar with the worst laugh I had heard in ages and I wanted out of there.
So, unless someone says "Hey, let's get a pint and some curry chips!," I won't bother coming back here.
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My boyfriend really really likes this bar, and I don't know why (he has a thing for anything Irish..yes, that must be it.)
Anyhow, I wasn't all that impressed when we came here at around 11 on a Friday night. I first got yelled at after trying to enter through the side door. Ook, pardon me, moving on. After waiting in not too long of a line, we finally get in and I walk straight into the bar. Literally. There was about 3 feet of space between the bar and the wall on the one side, no standing room at all, and the large bar was in the middle of the small room. It made it awkward to catch the bartenders attention.
After getting our drinks we made our way upstairs to escape the awkward layout to find ourselves in ...uh, an even more awkward layout. Lots of tables and low walls and a more restaurant setting. Unfortunately for us, there wasn't a table for us to sit at so we instead stood at the window and finished our drinks as quickly as possible so we could leave. (Probably won't be back again unless the boyfriend MAKES me.)
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A bit touristy (It's located right in the Lenox Hotel), a little expensive, but it gets the job done.
I got their version of a Sangria, and to the surprise of my BF, was able to finish it. A feat indeed (I don't really do wine). For $9.00, ya it's expensive, but at least they put it in a full glass instead of a wine glass.
The Curry chips were fantastic, I only wish there were a few more so I could sop up the rest of the curry goodness. French Onion Soup made with Guiness was a little waterier than I expected, but the generous serving of cheese to go along with it definitely made up for it.
I got the Fish of the Day, which was baked Cod with some red curry sauce, rice and veggies. I was particularly impressed with the veggies. Usually in restaurants I'm disappointed with the veggie side because it's usually something gross like cauliflower. Here, there was carrots, asparagus, zucchini and it was delicious. The Cod was very flavorful with a nice kick at the end. The BF's Shepard pie was also really good, even though it looked a little like puke when mixed all together.
Service was good, albeit a bit slow in the end. She certainly was very spunky....so say the least.
This place is really not bad for a mostly touristy spot. I noticed on the receipt that if you were staying at the Lenox you can just add it to your bill, which is really convenient. Definitely will be making a return trip.
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Hubby ducked in this bar while I shopped the Prudential Center. He made easy friends with a couple staying at The Lenox. Nice people, good food (get the chowda and sliders)! Plus they have our favorite beer on tap - we'll definitely be back.
I'm feeling generous with my stars today, and the fourth star might come into play because the waitress didn't bat an eye when Becki W. ordered a Shirley Temple. The service was simple, the food was as bountiful as the bosoms, and it was good times.
The atmosphere is nice and cozy like a standard Irish pub, and they mix of sofas and tables were nice.
We ordered the nachos, which were huge and interesting. They contained lots of cheese and black beans, lots of julienned peppers on the top, and a huge dollop of sour cream. They were good, but I have to say, I like mine with refried beans, cilantro, and guacamole. My fish and chips were lovely, and there were some leftovers at the end. The fish didn't feel too heavy or greasy, the slaw was tasty, and the fries were pretty standard. It was definitely good.
I will most likely be back, but perhaps more for just drinks.
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I think Solas is great as a stop-in joint, not so much a destination. The location is great in that it is on Boylston and thus close to a host of other bars if you just feel like bar-hopping down the street. Also, as it is located in a hotel, it has that hotel-bar trend factor working to its advantage. So although its a pub, you won't find only the stereotypical pub-dwellers here. The atmosphere is cozy, but that feeling of coziness has the potential to descend into outright claustrophobia on weekend nights when the place it can get pretty busy.
True, the drinks can be a bit pricey, all the more reason to make this one of a few bars to hit in a night.
My first impression of Solas was that it was a nice cozy place with a kind of overdone interior. The layout of the restaurant was different from the typical crammed in tables and chairs. I like that they left the area more open...however, i'm sure that's for the busy after-work crowd or weekend crowd they most likely entertain. We started with Onion Soup and Chowda....Chowder was good, not too thick, potatoes were firm, good bits of clam...I liked it. My wife had the onion soup...not too good...had a very bitter taste..similiar to what one would get if u added white wine to a sauce without cooking it out....my wife returned (it was that bad) for the Chowder. The hamburger was very tasty and done perfect. It has to be one of the better burgers I've had in Boston...Buttered Bun, Good Chedder, cooked perfect. The burger came with chips (fries) and we added the cheese sauce....holy crap...get the cheese sauce...I dipped my burger in it, it was so good. The service was good...it would of been great but when I had to ask for a pepsi (no coke...boo) the server took mine and didn't ask my wife if she would like a refill. So, burgers are good, cheese fries fantastic, and chowder good. I enjoyed the food and will probably be back.
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Solas was a nice Cozy (small) pub, nice atmosphere friendly staff. I went in the early afternoon/evening and had a couple of pints of Guinness. While not the least expensive place to get a drink it certainly was not the most expensive either.
Nice place to get a pint and talk.
I've been here lots the past few years but I still have not made up my mind yet. One thing I have noticed is that during the winter the bar is very cold-especially at the front of the bar. I know people who work here so I go here a good bit, trying not to be biased here and say, if I had no connections with it, I would probably never suggest going there for a Saturday night. Saying that, during the day or early evening, its a nice place to get a pint and some food. As Boston Irish pubs go, its a 3 star. # stars to me meaning, its just your average bar in Boston.
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I was only here for a quick pint.
The interior decorating is great. I'll have to agree that it is indeed cozy. the place is VERy clean.
The food smelled and looked really good.
BUT the service was wicked snobby.
It has everything a good pub could need except for the friendly attitude. Which is reason enough for me to never go back.
Cool place to chill at. Food is good but little pricey but I guess because it's in the hotel. I will definitely go there again.
I really am shocked more people don't seem to know about Solas, but I love that it is a sort of best kept secret of the Boylston bar scene because you get too many people in that place and it is miserable.
I wish I knew her name so that I could recommend her more specifically, but our bartender at the 2nd floor bar this past weekend mixed THE BEST Cosmo I've ever had. And I usually am pretty indifferent to Cosmos.
I think the key to Solas is getting a seat at the bar, or as a last resort, at a table. The standing room is pretty much non-existent, but that does not mean that people won't try so it gets pretty crowded if you don't have a nice little space carved out for yourselves before the masses arrive.
Oh yeah, the restrooms are located in the Lenox Hotel lobby, which sometimes can be tricky if you've had a few drinks.
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It gets 3 stars because the food is pretty decent (though overpriced). It's also less soulless than many of the places in the area, but that's not a very difficult thing to do. More importantly, it lacks the beer-soaked halfwits that plague Boston pubs, bars, and clubs. You aren't going to hear a "Yankees Suck" chant or many sentences that begin "Yah Dude." Unfortunately, that's all it really has going for it.
Nothing is done extremely well here, but it could be a great place for a gorup stuck in the area who're looking for a bit more privacy and calm. It's cozy and dark, but a bit precious. The reviewer who brought up the Oirish elements nailed it on the head. Stage Irish didn't die with the coming of Wilde and Shaw, it just moved into interior decorating.
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Basic pub, drinks left something to be desired, as did the hosebeasts there. Depressing music (creep followed by ordinary world) and good mac n cheese. You have to walk through a hotel lobby to get to the bathroom though there is a tv waiting for you when you get there. Good service.
I usually come here after work for appetizers and drinks. It's cute, dark and cozier than the average Boston Irish pub and usually you can score a table if you get there before the dinner crowd trickles in. They have a number of beers on tap and good bar food to split so you don't get too tipsy in front of your co-workers.
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I really like Solas because it's usually a chill relaxed scene and it's never too hard to get the bartender's attention. I like to start off my night here with a few drinks, or end up there to sit around with friends. It's nothing pretentious or ritzy like it's neighbor the Lenox and the bars in it. Try their salads they are soooo gooood.
Met an out of town friend here for dinner and drinks last week; it was the first time I'd come here.
When we arrived, I was surprised at how small it was, but they seem to have an upstairs that I didn't get a peek at. We waited for a table on a Tuesday rainy night for about 15 minutes and were seated at 6:45. Waitstaff was prompt, but she knew we were waiting for him to arrive so she didn't hover terribly either, which was nice.
We ordered the chips and cheese app - fabulously done. Then our friend arrived, and dinner order was put in. Our visitor had the shephard's pie, which looked pretty good. I succumbed to the mac & cheese, and my husband had the meatloaf. All were quite good and relatively reasonably priced.
I wouldn't especially call it 'authentic', but it was good nonetheless. It can get quite crowded, but when the crowd thins out, it feels quite homey.
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According to their website 'Solas' means comfort, but from school I seem to remember it means 'light' which is way cooler.
I don't spend much time in Irish pubs, being somewhat leery of the whole immigrant ghetto syndrome, but let's face it, in Boston they're kinda hard to avoid. Most of them follow a trusty formula and Solas is no exception: everything done in dark wood (check), some vaguely Oirish signs/pictures (check) and a menu featuring at least 2 of the following - stew, something made with Guinness, and something with a quaint Irish name (check).
All that said, the evening I spent here last week was grand, as they say back home. The waitress was downright heroic in coping with a large group of us ordering different things at different times. The food was 50-50; the calamari strayed into rubber territory but the curry chips (fries) were just sublime - I will be back there for those alone. I ate something else(?) on my last visit which was good, if a little unmemorable.
So, not remarkable, but serviceable enough.
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This place could be good... but, I feel insulted. Go to the second floor look at the ceiling. Those awesome wooden beams are made out of plastic. I'd rather go someplace that is low rent but with authentic walls & ceilings, as it is this place is more like a Hollywood set than an Irish pub. As a disclaimer, I am not a big fan of the Briar group or its success in catering to the 'Irish pub in Boston" theme.
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It was Good Friday yesterday, and I was really in the mood for some fish and chips and a pint (or two). Solas hit the spot. I had a nice, big piece of battered cod and the fries were tasty. I'm glad that the fish was the main part of the plate, and not a huge pile of fries. The cole slaw was good too; you could tell that they don't just buy bags of shredded cabbage.
Service was good. We had a friendly waitress, but she was a little overwhelmed at times. The food took a little while, but fortunately I had a picture-perfect Guinness to enjoy while I waited.
We sat upstairs in the dining area. Solas has a beautiful decor, nice and dark like you'd want in a pub, but also clean. I was glad we could go upstairs to eat because it was very loud downstairs around the main bar area (we went around 6:30).
My main complaint is that about half-way through the meal a group of guys came in who were really bombed. One of their friends was falling off his chair, and being loud and obnoxious. He eventually wiped out on the floor. The waitress was pretty stern with them to quiet down and it wasn't like she was serving the really drunk guy, but it was a little annoying.
Our bill with tip came out to around $65. We each had two 20-ounce Guinnesses, the fish and chips plate, and I had a salad. Not cheap, but it's what you'd expect in Copley Square.
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Solas is your typical charming little Irish pub. As other Yelpers have already mentioned, it's a great place to grab a Guinness, order up yummy food, and kick back with some friends.
There is one particular Solas memory that strikes me as the most vivid and interesting; the first (and ONLY) time a European couple proposed to me a night of wild bisexual couple sex. In a stretch Hummer limo.
Hm, I think that experience alone gives Solas a five star review?
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I find Solas charming in a way....perfect to sit at the small bar with 1 or 2 people after work or in the early evening. The barstaff is attentive (I mean, there are like 10 chairs at the bar, so it's hard not to be) and friendly, and the dim lighting contributes to the comfortable but classy atmosphere.
Apparently the dining area is much more expansive, but I really enjoy the bar area because of the cozy feel and convenient location in the Lenox Hotel.
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Its a nice bar/pub but I found the menu to really be lacking. (Even for a pub) I also wasn't too happy with being seated at a kind of dirty table but what can you do, the place was really busy. Its a bit strange to go from this pub atmosphere and through the Lenox lobby to use the restroom though....
The food options may be limited but what we chose was well-prepared. Then again, you can't really mess up grilled chicken.
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Pretty crowded but a great spot if you can find some space to sit or stand. Bartender was super friendly and talked about her upcoming travels. There were a lot of out-of-towners but that didn't hurt the scene. I great place to take most anyone.
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My absolute favorite bar in Boston! The staff is great, the drinks are good and the prices are reasonable. The food isn't half bad either.
I've been known to sit at the bar with a couple of friends for several rounds of drinks. The bartender always remembers what I'm drinking and is quick to serve. It can get a bit busy at the end of the night with all of the people from other bars on Boylston stopping by, but Solas is worth the crowd.
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Sometimes your inner goddess wants to shine, and you get dressed up, dolled up, perfumed and coiffed and go to a fabulous bar to mingle with beautiful people. Other times, you end up being the only chick among 8 guys or so (story of my life) and what you want is a down to earth unpretentious place where you can be in public around people, and yet be chill and not bothered. This is a good place for the latter. We hung out all night over beer and cocktails (some of my friends ordered cocktails, drank them through a straw - and were still secure about their manhood). We actually meant to go to City Bar, but, of course, it was 10:15, the velvet ropes were in full effect, none of us were trying to shine that night, so we opted for the laid back option next door.
Service was timely and non-obtrusive. Beer was cold. My cosmo surprisingly decent. The consensus among my boys was thumbs up, although, I guess, not enough cleavage overall in the bar to satisfy my companions. So, if a meat-mart is what you seek tonight, this may not be right for you, otherwise, excellent for hanging out in a happy group.
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Met a friend here for lunch one Saturday. I thought the food was mediocre and the Guinness was average.
It's always busy at the weekend due to it's location, probably a good spot for drinks and a bit o'craic. But, there are many better bars to go to, and plenty better places for grub.
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To start, let me be clear that my rating reflects my experience eating lunch here (it could be a very fine place to grab a pint with a small group). My husband and I decided to grab a late lunch here while in the area today and I was more than a little disappointed with our choice afterward.
The place is small, as other reviewers have noted, but not an issue at lunch time. Only complaint about ambiance was that the Irish music was playing really loudly for lunch time; it was difficult to hear each other talk. When we first walked in, there was no defined hostess station, so we wandered around for a minute before being approached by a waitress inquiring, "you want food?". With that gracious greeting, we were quickly shown to a table and handed menus. There was a Daily Specials insert, off which I chose a 1/2 sandwich and soup. My husband chose a salad with grilled chicken off the regular menu.
Our drinks came quickly, but my Diet Coke tasted very odd. In fact, in tasted a whole heck of a lot like Diet Pepsi. Now, I must warn you that one of my personal pet peeves is ordering one drink and being served another without warning or explanation (which most commonly happens with the ol' Pepsi for Coke switch-a-roo). I personally do not like Diet Pepsi, so waited a really long time for the waitress to return, which only happened when she brought our meals. I told her that the drink tasted funny to me and inquired as to whether it was actually Diet Coke. She assured me that it was and after some additional exchange, she offered to pour a new one, which I accepted. The new one also tasted very odd to me, but I just figured that maybe it was a little flat and let it go. More on that later.
The food was highly average. My sandwich was BBQ chicken with cheddar on brioche, and I found the sauce overly tangy and there was way too much of it. The chicken wasn't even 1 juicy breast, but instead several smaller pieces placed to just cover the bun and were utterly tasteless. The soup that I ordered with the sandwich was clam chowder and it was served so incredibly hot that I actually burned my lip really badly with the first attempted bite. It also had lots of bacon in it, which I don't like in clam chowder, so my husband actually finished it off for me (he doesn't mind bacon in the least). He also said that his salad was pretty good, so he was pretty happy with the whole thing.
The last straw for me was when we received the bill and the first line was "Diet Pepsi...$2.00". Unbelievable. So, bottom line, don't bother going there to eat, but maybe I'll try it again just to grab a pint.
Great small pub to grab a pint-or 5 and watch my poor Giants get destroyed by the BoSox. The bartender upstairs was totally adorable and was slangin' guiness like it was on fire. The place was packed and she still made time to be nice. You can talk to your friends without the music being too loud and they have the swanky-est mens room I've ever had the honor of making a deposit in.
Solas is like the reproduction print of your favorite painting on display at the MFA- It looks and feels great if you squint a little bit and pretend it's real. But you and any guest's know the truth be told, it's a knock off. But in this sense, it's OK, because who can afford or acquire a one of a kind priceless artwork? The same is true for Solas; a re-creation of a snug little publik house that appears to belong on a little green island accross the pond. So unless you've got a private jet hangin out at Logan, hitting up Ireland isn't exactly a weekend option for a pint of Smithwicks, but Solas is.
The bartender's here are attentive and friendly, the crowd is usually a varied bunch of hotel patron's, local's and the occasional wedding party- In the winter, you'll appreciate the warm wood stove burning in the corner, and dont' be surprised to see a lone patron huddled up with a good book and a guiness near by.
If you're at the Lenox for CityBar and the line is obnoxious, head downstairs to Solas- It's a worthy distraction to it's more popular neighbor.
Great place for a Guiness and some artery clogging munchies.
I was meeting a former classmate for afterwork drinks at City Bar which was totally empty at 5pm on a Friday. Fortunately Solas was in the same hotel and had a decent happy hour scene.
The bar had a true Irish feel with all the wood furnishings, however it was almost too clean to be a real pub. I wouldn't go here looking to meet people, but for beers with work buddies...sure, why not?
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Definitely a cute pub, and the waitstaff is superb, but I just can't shake the feeling that I'm in a hotel bar. Maybe it's the fact that you have the use the hotel lobby bathrooms... I can't put my finger on it. I'll say it - I don't love it here.
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I've really enjoyed myself the couple of times we've ended up here. We definately have never made this a nightlife destination spot, but if you're in the area and in the mood for some snack foods and some drinks, then I'd definately send you here. I feel like we had the nachos there one night and they were fantastic. I can't remember what exactly they were playing, but I remember rocking out to the songs with a group next to us....although, that could be due to the fact I was pretty blitzed...but regardless, always seems to be a fun, chill crowd.
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Nice to have a bar in the Back Bay that brings you down to earth! the staff is truly amazing here, extremely welcoming and real! good munchies, try the Curry Fries (fries with a curry dipping sauce on the side) they are fantastic and I'm not a big curry fan! if you want a less trendy down to earth place, Solas is it!
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It snowed when we visited Boston, but we were determined to find a cool bar/pub. We eventually wandered into Solas. We jammed ourselves into a smallish booth. But, that made for a jolly ole time. I did not really enjoy the live band, tho. I think the pub's a little too small to have a band playing. My ears were ringing well after I left the pub.
Pleasant place to throw back a few beers with friends.
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I've never eaten the food, so I'm not taking that into account. However, I enjoy the atmosphere at Solas and the fact that it's staffed by actual Irish who are glad to strike up a conversation if not too busy. I'm not that hard to please, so a stiff drink will most always put a smile on my face.
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