How to Get Late-Night Alcohol in Boston

My biggest gripe about Boston is that everything shuts down so early.  You can’t get a drink anywhere — anywhere — after 2:00 AM.  Even the after-hours club, Rise, only stocks Diet Coke and Red Bull.

So, if the night is young, you could do what most people do, and bring a flask or a few nips to Rise.

Or…you could go to Chinatown.

Image: Kramchang

Many Chinatown restaurants are open until 4:00 AM, and they get packed after the nearby Theater District clubs shut down for the night.  I can’t tell you how many times my friends and I have gone for late night veggie lo mein and crab rangoons.

But if you’re looking for something to drink, ask for the “cold tea.”

The reactions from Chinatown servers vary widely.  Some will feign ignorance.  Some will give you a wink.  Some will exclaim, “You want beer?”

But if you’re lucky, the server will return with a teapot full of Heineken.  Drink up, my friends.

Keep in mind that this WILL NOT work if any police officers are in the restaurant.  Look near the door.  If there are any plainclothes bouncer-type guys just standing around, that’s not a good sign.  Also, in my experience, it’s best to go to a restaurant that isn’t very busy, rather than the madhouse that is Chau Chow City at 2:15 AM.

Don’t forget that you’re at the mercy of the restaurant.  If they don’t feel like it, they don’t have to serve you anything.

But if you play your cards right, you could be drinking cold tea until the sun comes up!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Italian Coffee Culture: Drink as the Italians Do!

Image
Learn the secrets behind Italian Coffee from local intel to regional specialties you don’t want to miss. I always see tourists frustrated to near tears in busy cafes. They can’t understand why no one is serving them and why the barista isn’t responding to their panicked gesturing. Don’t be them! I’m going to spell out the unspoken rules and systems of Italian coffee culture so you can fit right in. You’ll also find out what the basic menu is in every Italian cafe. Head’s up: you rarely see an actual menu so you’ll want to know this. To top it off, I’ll share some of my favorite unique Italian coffee drinks that only locals know about. Grab a cup of cappuccino and let’s dive in! You probably already know that Italians love their coffee! Coffee is a historic ritual in Italy that has become so ingrained in the culture that it’d be hard to imagine Italy without it. DID YOU KNOW? Coffee started out in pharmacies as a drug available only to the wealthy before Italy’s oldest caf...
Read more

How To Get An International Driver’s License Permit

Image
Obtaining an International Driving Permit Interested in picking up an international driver’s license or permit (IDP)? This special license allows you to drive rental cars in different countries around the world. If you’re a frequent traveler like me, you probably love road trips and renting a car to drive around foreign countries on your own. Maybe you want to go driving in Iceland, rent a car to explore Morocco, or learn to drive on the opposite side of the road in Ireland. With an international driver’s license permit, you can rent a car or motorcycle in all sorts of exotic locations with the freedom to stop anytime, and anywhere, traveling at your own pace. Without the permit, you might not be able to rent a car in certain countries, or you could get in trouble with the police if you’re pulled over for speeding (or just because you’re a foreigner). What Is An International Driver’s License? The International Driving Permit, or IDP (some...
Read more

Haute Faroese Cuisine

Image
It’s not very often that I get to experience the best restaurant in a country — but in the Faroe Islands, I got to do just that. KOKS is the restaurant at the excellent Hotel Foroyar, famous for hosting Bill Clinton a few years ago.  (It’s also not very often that I get to stay in the same hotel former awesome US presidents stayed in.) Now — I was a bit apprehensive, as I’m not the biggest fan of Scandinavian food.  Salted fish and sweet, fatty cured meats don’t appeal to me.  But haute Scandinavian cuisine is SO much better than salted fish and odd cured meats.  How good was it? This is in the top 3 meals I have ever had in my LIFE. KOKS offers four-, six-, and eight-course menus.  I went for six courses.  Here’s how I started: Yes, that’s the menu on an iPad.   If they were looking to impress me, there’s nothing better they could have done! Here’s what I dined on: Amuse Bouche: Salted cod, asparagus, amanson oil Two tiny bites...
Read more