Union Oyster House
- Food
- The oyster bar
- Groups
- Marked for a big group
Crowd level: Mixed. Go early, or pick a weekday
Good for a big group
Best season Any month. Weekday lunch is kinder than a Saturday. Their site says they are open seven days.
The oyster house at 41–43 Union Street, open to diners since 1826. Semi-circular bar, chowder, the Freedom Trail outside the door. It is historic and it is not quiet.
Worth knowing
Getting in
Their site says small parties can book, larger parties should call the dining room, and they validate parking at the Parcel 7 garage. Expect a wait if you just appear on a Saturday.
With a group. They ask parties of 7–25 to call, and groups of 20 or more with a set menu to write the function address. An inquiry is not a confirmed table.
The short version
The building served other uses before it was Atwood & Bacon's oyster house. A National Historic Landmark nomination documents the restaurant from October 1826. The oyster bar went in then. In October 2026, Boston news reports said the longtime owners had sold it and that the room would keep operating. The restaurant's own site still tells the 1826 story. Go for the bar and the building.
Food nearby
The oyster bar
Sit at the bar if you can. Raw oysters and chowder are the point. It is on the Freedom Trail, so other people had the same idea.