“ Visiting from San Diego and we enjoyed this place! Bar was packed and crowded. Hype crowd. Great bartending service and definitely place to stop mid Freedom Trail. ”

“ A little rowdy on a Saturday but we found a quiet table in the restaurant part. Although not hungry, the clam chowder was excellent. ”

“ I've never eaten here but have had many a drink. The layout is cool and it is a historic landmark of a bar! The bartenders are all wildly friendly. A bit pricier than I'd like to pay for a basic draft beer but I know the tourists come. Which does sometimes mess with the vibe- unfortunately- since sometimes I do definitely want to keep the New England feel but it does make for interesting people watching. I don't think I would pay a cover now (though they certainly made $$ from me in my early 20s) but that's on me. ”

“ We had a great time here. The server was on point and gave good recommendations. Had the Bavarian pretzels as an app- delicious . Had Mac and cheese , baked haddock , quahogs , chili . Had the mule drink . Winter mule I think. The place had a real historical vibe too.. the oldest tavern in the USA so it better !! ”

“ Really good wings! So crispy. Weird to me that they weren't tossed in the buffalo sauce and it was on the side, but still very good. Chowder was creamy and hot. Very enjoyable meal. Service was very slow and it is seat yourself. Inside is standard pub. There is a bar area and a dining area. Smelled like fish and chips and it wasn't too loud! ”

“ Good spot! Longest operating bar in the US! I was expecting it to be gimicky but it really wasn't. Prices for beer and food were good, and the food was pretty good! I got the nachos and they hit the spot, and the beer was lots of local options and yummy. Cool spot! ”

“ The food was amazing and surprised us at just how good it was. Great beers on tap and cannot find anything to put this bar down. It was a hell of a fun spot to stop by at for an amazing dinner ”

“ I fly between the UK and MA a lot and the British are quite proud of their fish and chips. It's just a shame for them that the best fish and chips in the world happens to be at Bell in Hand. I don't know what they do differently but it's something I almost dream about because of how #$*^ing good it is. Do yourself a favour and go here! ”

“ We didn't eat so this is just a review for drinks, service, and atmosphere. Oldest operating bar in U.S., etc., etc. If you go in expecting it to feel like an immersion in history, you're in for a let down. You will not sit and watch football on the same large screen where John Adams watched football back in the day. But you willl definitely have a view of a game on a large screen. I dont know if John Adams would have liked Applebee's, but if he did, he would probably like this vibe. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it could not have been more busy. But service was quick and attentive. Old fashioneds were well made. You'll be paying a little extra for the whole oldest tavern shtick, but you can say you were there and go on with your day. ”

“ First come first serve seating which isn't great when the place is busy. However, the doors are all open which allows the staff to move inside and back out with ease. The food itself was fine but you're mostly going here for the atmosphere. I'd say to stop if you're in the area but don't go out of your way. ”