DrinkDowntown

Bell in Hand

Established in 1795, the bar (falsely) claims to be the oldest continuously operating tavern in the country. It also functions as far more of a club than a tavern. Downstairs is generally packed on weekends, upstairs is a multi-room club.

nightlife

Address: 45 Union St
Getting there: T: State
Hours: 11AM-2AM daily
Website: thebellinhand.com (opens in a new tab)

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Boston/Downtown, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

EatDowntown
Union Oyster House
Oldest continuously operating restaurant in the US. Comfortable atmosphere. Raw bar.
Sun-Thu 11AM-9:30PM, Fri Sat 11AM-10PMLunch $13-20, dinner $25-35+
SeeDowntown
New England Holocaust Memorial
A glass memorial built in a small park near Fanueil Hall, inspired by survivors who resettled in Boston.
24 hours dailyFree
DrinkDowntown
The Green Dragon Tavern
A relaxing place to stop in and take a break from the freedom trail. A replica of the original 1657 Green Dragon Tavern, where the Sons of Liberty met and discussed political revolution. British officers also frequented the original pub and were spied upon by American patriots. Modeled after the “Headquarters of the Revolution”, the Green Dragon was rebuilt in the Blackstone Historic District after a major fire. Featuring lively entertainment and lovely food in an Irish pub atmosphere.
11AM-2AM dailyPints $7, dinner $25-35
SeeDowntown
Boston Stone
Imported from England in the 17th century by a painter, today you can see the Boston Stone embedded in the foundation of a building in the Historic Blackstone District. No one really knows its exact function, or why it was placed there. The current theory is that it's 18th-century advertising for the shops and stores along this historic street; or a sort of London Stone copycat.
24 hours dailyFree