Boston Marathon Viewing Parties, Freebies, and Specials at Local Bars and Restaurants
Discover where to find limited-edition beer, carb specials, spiked slushies, and more.
Marathon Monday is a chaotic but exciting day for Boston’s bars and restaurants.
“We have staff that are working throughout the entire night the night before,’’ said Andrew Holden, general manager of Eastern Standard along the marathon route in Kenmore Square.
But they love it.
“It’s absolutely our favorite day of the year,’’ Audubon Boston owner Jay Bellao said.
At Eastern Standard, the Rolling Stones will replace the quiet jazz usually played over breakfast. By 8:30 a.m., folks will be ordering burgers, oysters, and Bloody Marys. And, according to Holden, “By 9 o’clock, the music will be at full tilt and it will be standing room only.’’
If you are a non-runner looking to plant yourself in the thick of the action, discover where the fundraisers, freebies, watch parties, spiked slushies, and limited-edition brews are within the final miles of the race.
Plan a marathon breakfast.
The Pour House will begin serving breakfast at 7 a.m.
You’re going to need a hearty breakfast Monday morning to fuel your day of festivities. Grab some early morning grub at The Pour House, named among the 101 best breakfast spots in America by Playboy magazine this past fall. The Boylston Street restaurant will offer its full breakfast menu an hour earlier — at 7 a.m.
“The beer, wine, and liquor will be flowing beginning at 8 a.m.,’’ Karen Hoffman, The Pour House’s event planner, said.
Food will be served for 18 hours straight at The Pour House. There is no cover.
You can’t usually eat breakfast at Island Creek Oyster Bar on Comm. Ave. on Mondays, but for Marathon Monday, the restaurant makes an exception. The restaurant will open its doors at 8 a.m. and serve brunch food, as well as lunch food, until 4 p.m.
Another restaurant serving breakfast extra early is Audubon Boston on Beacon Street.
Audubon will open at 9 a.m. and offer its most popular brunch plates — think french toast and eggs with all the trimmings. The food will be served by staff wearing Boston Police and Fire Department shirts.
“We try to show a little respect that day and change up our uniforms,’’ Bellao said.
Attend a Boston Marathon watch party.
From left to right: Nicole Fiset, Dianne Lavado, Gina Fioroni, Joe Andruzzi, Julie Moore, and Drew Lufkin at last year’s event at the now-closed Forum. Moore and Lufkin are running again this year.
Cheer on the runners while raising money for a good cause at the Back Bay Social Club on Boylston Street.
The restaurant is teaming up with the Joe Andruzzi Foundation (JAF), CVS Health, RadioBDC, and Michelob Ultra to host a Boston Marathon Viewing Party on Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The event is also the official viewing party for the Joe Andruzzi Foundation’s Team JAF, which has raised more than $135,000 for cancer patients and their families so far. Buy your tickets online for $50. Children under 12 are free. A portion of the money raised will go to Team JAF.
Be an early bird.
Whiskey’s will open at 8 a.m. on Monday.
Whiskey’s on Boylston Street will open its doors at 8 a.m. on Monday — three-and-a-half hours early. It’s a common theme among restaurants and bars.
Other Boylston Street spots opening early include The Rattlesnake Bar & Grill, opening at 10 a.m., McGreevy’s, and Dillions, both opening at 8 a.m.
You can start ordering food at Whiskey’s at 10 a.m. But the marathon excitement will happen long before that, as Anheuser-Busch promotions and giveaways will take place throughout the weekend. There is no cover charge.
Get your carb overload.
A pasta dish prepared at Papa Razzi on Newbury Street.
Whether you’re running the marathon or preparing for a long day on the sidelines, plenty of Boston restaurants are seeking to fill you up with energy-inducing carbs this weekend.
Grab the $23 Marathon Pasta Special at The MET Back Bay on Dartmouth Street, being served Sunday. The dish will feature rigatoni, chicken meatballs, pecorino, and egg yolk.
Executive Chef Robert Sisca at Bistro du Midi on Boylston Street is whipping up a a special duck bolognese. The dish is made of garganelli pasta served with a rich bolognese made with ground duck and spicy pork sausage. It will be available Friday through Monday.
Over at Papa Razzi on Newbury Street, Boston Marathon runners can save some dough through May 15 by signing up for its BENE loyalty program online. Marathon runners will receive $5 off their first visit, $10 off their second visit, and $15 off their third visit on everything from thin-crust pizzas to pasta dishes. The program is valid at the restaurant’s Boston, Burlington, Concord, Cranston, Framingham, and Wellesley locations.
At the Cafe at Taj Boston on Arlington Street, a fresh cavatelli pasta special will be available for $26 Monday from 5-10 p.m. Runners seeking a protein and carbohydrate combo can add grilled shrimp or chicken to the dish of arugula pesto, spring vegetables, pear tomato, and toasted pine nuts.
Toast the runners over free ricotta.
Free cheese, please.
In honor of the Boston Marathon, Via Matta on Park Plaza will offer a complimentary bowl of homemade ricotta with sage, extra virgin olive oil, hot chiles, and a crostini for every party that orders at least one pasta entree (a $12 savings) during its dinner service Sunday night.
Grab a Big Papi Turkey Sandwich and a spiked slushie.
Is the Big Papi Sandwich at Dillons worth a high five? You be the judge.
Big Papi will not be at Dillons on Monday. But the restaurant is offering a special sandwich — a Big Papi Turkey Sandwich, available for $11.
Wash your Big Papi sandwich down with a spiked slushie at Dillons, which will open at 8 a.m. That’s right, the bar will bring in a slush machine for the occassion — something general manager Elizabeth Broyles said she’s pretty excited about.
The slushies will be comprised of Absolut vodka and flavors that run the gamut from from grapefruit to mandarin to vanilla to pear. Why not drink one on the patio?
Adding to this year’s Marathon Monday excitement at Dillons is the fact that a staff member is running, said Broyles. Dillons employees will be cheering on server Meaghan Clapp, who is running the marathon for the first time.
Hang with Mistress Carrie.
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Mistress Carrie from WAAF will broadcast live from Lir on Boylston Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. The restaurant will be alive with giveaways and representatives from Michelob Ultra. The doors open at 9 a.m.
Erin Bouche, the restaurant’s manager, said she expects to be at capacity — that’s 355 people occupying three floors — by 11 a.m. So get there early. The restaurant’s full menu will be available.
“We’ll have our windows open,’’ Bouche said. “We’re a great spot to watch.’’
Taste a limited-edition marathon beer.
Drink Harpoon 1906 this weekend at Solas Irish Pub.
Not feeling the marathon day crowds? Drop by Solas Irish Pub inside The Lenox Hotel this weekend to taste a limited-edition Harpoon beer — and raise money for a good cause.
The Lenox has teamed up with Harpoon Beer and New Balance to offer Harpoon 1906. You’ll pay $8 a pint and $1 of each sale will go to the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Fund, which supports breakthroughs in limb reconstruction, bone regeneration, orthopedic and plastic surgery, and skin regeneration.
Reny is a college student whose leg was injured during the marathon bombing.
The beer is only available from Friday to Monday. If you’re looking for a taste on Monday, you’ll have to visit Solas after 4 p.m. because of a private event.
Beware of private parties.
Take note: Some places close down Marathon Monday for private parties.
Not all restaurants are open to the public on Monday. Places like Abe & Louie’s, Solas Irish Pub, and Atlantic Fish Co. will be closed for private events. So before heading to your favorite spot, it’s a good idea to call ahead.
The good news is, many places will reopen later in the day. In fact, all three of the before-mentioned spots will open back up for dinner.
Read more coverage of the 2015 Boston Marathon.
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